


A Day In The Life

by heyjayyay



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Clexa, Clexa with kids, Domestic Clexa, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 14:32:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 29,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10901313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyjayyay/pseuds/heyjayyay
Summary: A collection of oneshots and ficlets involving domestic Clexa and their two babies, Aden and Anya. Just fluff and gay goodness!





	1. Enter: Aden, Enter: Anya

**A Day in the Life**

It was a rocky start, but she wouldn’t have changed it for the world.

Overall, it may not have really been the best timing, but something about it was inevitably inevitable, just like Clarke Griffin falling for  Lexa Woods, just like Lexa Woods  asking Clarke Griffin to marry her, just two soulmates finding one another in a sea of seven billion people – inevitable. It wasn’t a spontaneous decision, something like this took a lot of time, and a lot of planning; like a wedding, but even bigger. 

It happened gradually, amidst the way her wife would look longingly at the strollers they passed when they took their evening walks through the park, or the way she would subconsciously run her hand over her stomach with a silent sort of yearning. She didn’t think that she noticed, but she did. She noticed everything.

So it was obvious to say that when Lexa finally popped the question, it wasn’t much of a surprise, really. Not to say that it was unwanted, quite the contrary, in fact. Lexa wanted this just as much as Clarke did. She just wasn’t sure how to properly approach the topic. Apparently blurting it out after a binge session of a five hour giant squid marathon and countless episodes of them giving birth was her brain’s idea of an ideal moment. 

“I…” She snapped her mouth shut. “Sorry. We aren’t ready.” She apologized, cheeks surpassing any sort of natural rosy hue.

“What?” Clarke stared back wide-eyed, the hand that was previously carding through Lexa’s hair frozen in place.

“Nevermind.” She shook her head regretfully. “Can we pretend I didn’t say anything? I’m sorry, I’m just being stup...” 

“No,” Clarke cut off. “Say it again.” She requested gently. 

“I…” Lexa hesitated, picking at her cuticles. Clarke placed her hand over hers, thumb lightly running over her knuckles. 

“Please, Lexa?” The blonde coaxed.

“I…” She swallowed. “I want to start a family with you.” The brunette finally whispered, ducking her head bashfully. 

Trembling fingers rose to tilt her chin up. Slowly, her gaze lifted to meet a paradoxically warm, iceberg blue. 

“You really mean it?” She asked, hope laced in her voice.

“Yes.” Lexa gulped. “More than anything.”

The popcorn was spilled and Clarke crawled into her lap, kissing her with fervor.

“Me too.” 

**\---**

She couldn’t breathe.  _ Oh god _ , she couldn’t breathe. Even with Lexa’s arms securely holding her tight, she felt like she was going to fall apart. When they were younger, both of them not having a period, or at the very least, extremely infrequent cycles, had been such a blessing for their young college-student libido. But now, it seemed, it was a curse. She felt  _ helpless _ .

“Love, it’s okay.” Lexa hushed as they collapsed on the ground in a mess of limbs. She felt numb with her phone falling from her grasp to clatter onto the floor. “We can still try again. It’s not too late for…”

“No!” She grimaced. “No, I don’t want to try again.” She wept. 

“There’s two of us,” Lexa tried to reason, but Clarke could hear the apprehension on her voice. “We can double our chances. I can try to…”

“No.” She repeated firmer. “I can’t risk feeling like this again if it..if we…” She hiccuped. She couldn’t even bring herself to say the words to complete the sentence.

“Oh, Clarke.” Lexa sighed,  her kissing temple. 

“Can you just…?” Clarke leaned into her wife, feeling somewhat guilty for having made such a selfish request. Lexa was hurting too. 

“Of course, love. You never need to ask.” Her wife obliged with sad, but understanding eyes, wrapping her arms even tighter around her as her fingertips ran lightly up and down her spine until they both fell asleep in their collapsed position on the kitchen floor.

\---

Months went by. She could see the way Lexa’s eyes lingered at the playground, the way her smile would broaden just the slightest bit when a child would giggle in her direction, or a baby would stare with intrigue at her waving. This time, Clarke was ready to try again. She just wasn’t sure how to bring it up. It was different the second time around. 

Her wife, selfless as ever had offered to help with some cleaning at the studio, taking her only free weekend to go across town to assist. She had completely forgotten that there was a very real, inevitable possibility that Lexa would find out. Clarke had been crouched in the supply closet full paint thinners and aerosols when it happened. 

“Come to join me in getting high?” She teased as she heard her wife’s footsteps approach.

When she was met with silence, she turned, furling her brow. Her hesitancy quickly transformed into alarm at the sight of green eyes brimming with tears.

“Lexa!” Her jaw fell open. “Baby, what’s wrong?” 

Her wife wordlessly raised her arm to hold out the pamphlet for the adoption agency she had been eyeing for the last few weeks, the pages already creased from her internal panic and fidgeting with the edges. 

Honestly, asking Lexa to adopt with her was just as, if not more daunting, than a marriage proposal. At least, she supposed anyway. Lexa had beaten her to that one.

“Let’s do it.” The woman said shakily.

Clarke studied her wife for any sort of hesitancy. “Are you sure you’re ready?” She asked.

The brunette nodded slowly. “If you are too.” Lexa affirmed. “As long as you’re with me, I’m always ready.” 

\---

They had walked into the children’s home with every intention of leaving with a little baby girl, since they had been uncertain about their abilities to raise of boy without either of them being a male parental figure. But when those strawberry-blond tuffs of hair came into view, accompanied by a gurgling smile, all bets were off and Aden was in their arms just milliseconds later, clasping his chubby little fingers around Clarke’s larger index finger while Lexa did her best not to cry. She failed, of course, but that was besides the point.

When they arrived back at their small, but cozy apartment, their second task was to start listing any pink object to get ready to exchange it for something blue. It was the second task, because the first was obviously to swoon over their new bundle of joy. Lexa was never attracted to men, but oh was she ever in love with this little one. 

After pink kittens  and purple puppies were replaced with yellow bananas and brown monkeys, they finally opened up their home for visitors, pulling aside a specific pair of guests to ask them of a grand favor.

“O, Linc,” Clarke began just as Lincoln had passed the sleeping baby back over to Lexa. She gave him a warm smile in thanks, his ability to lull the little one to sleep only serving to confirm that they had made the right decision.

“We pulled you into the nursery because we wanted to ask you this in private.” Clarke continued. “We know that you’re on your way to having your own little family, but we wanted to make you a part of ours as well. Maybe this will even give you some extra practice beforehand.” She gestured kindly to Octavia’s gradually rounding belly. 

“Should you choose to accept it, of course.” Lexa chimed in. “No pressure.” 

“Right, no pressure.” Clarke nodded. “But we were wondering if you would do us the honor of being Aden’s godparents.” 

“We wanted him to have a positive male influence in his life, and seeing as well…” She gestured vaguely to her lower body, then Clarke’s. “We were hoping that you’d be able to help us out.”

“Shut up!” The pregnant brunette squealed, slapping Clarke on the forearm in her excitement. “Oh my god, Clarke!”

“Uhh, so is that a yes?” Her wife asked, rubbing at the quickly flushing spot on her arm. Lexa placed Aden in his crib before reaching out to take over, gently caressing the tender flesh with soothing strokes as Clarke offered her a grateful smile.

Lincoln grinned. “I’d say so.” He held open his arms and three women barreled into him.

\---

Aden Jacob Griffin-Woods was an absolute angel, down to the core. He rarely cried, ate everything without protest, and hardly ever woke them up in the middle of the night. Clarke knew they were vastly fortunate to have such a cooperative baby. And with Lincoln to act as Aden’s stand-in guide,  their son was quickly being groomed into being both a charmer and a heartbreaker all in one.

But that didn’t dismiss the fact that when he did have his moments, and all terrible twos did, the little tike’s tantrums were something to be reckoned with.

They had just finished up at the children’s store. Octavia and Lincoln had come along to restock on diapers and baby formula for Tris, while Clarke and Lexa were picking up a variety of beginner solid foods for Aden to gradually get accustomed to.

Octavia was wheeling Tris in her stroller while Lincoln jogged ahead to grab the door for them. Lexa, being the stronger of the two, had insisted on carrying the majority of their purchases so that Clarke only had to carry her purse and their son in her arms. As they approached the store’s exit, she could sense the storm brewing. Call it a mother’s instinct, but the moment they stepped through the door that Lincoln had so graciously held open, she knew they were going to have a problem. Just like clockwork, his chunky little legs started to flail and he reached out behind her, causing Lexa to quickly shoot forward, and Clarke to twist in reflex, so as to not drop him. Her mother had warned her never to underestimate the strength of a baby, especially one with such strong-willed parents as Aden had. 

“No, no, Little Monkey.” She admonished. “Mama’s hands are full right now. She’ll hold you later.”

His face scrunched up in fury, puffing his cheeks out as his nose grew red in response to her chiding. She prepared her ears for the shrill sounds to follow.

“Noooooo!” The toddler whined, thrashing about, making grabby hands at the group behind her.

“Aden, I said ‘no.’” Clarke said firmly. “Mama’s busy. You have to wait.”

The scream in response was deafening and a few heads on the parking lot turned to see what the commotion was about. She let him wail for another fifteen seconds, hoping to ride it out but when it became clear that there was no end in sight, her wife swiftly adjusted her grip, holding a plastic bag out for her to make the exchange. 

With Aden now in Lexa’s arms, she was certain that they would be in the clear. But even as  her wife had taken a step forward, his tears continued to fall, cries unseizing.

“Aden, honey, what’s the matter, Little Man?” Lexa cooed, brushing the droplets collecting on his rounded cheeks with her knuckles. “It’s okay, love. Tell Mama what you need.”

Lexa had always been the softer of the two. Clarke sighed as her son sniffled before glancing over her shoulder. He practically tumbled from her arms as he reached for Lincoln, who was still holding the door patiently for the troubling trio. Lexa swiveled just in time to steady him in her grasp once again. 

“You want Uncle Lincoln to hold you?” She inquired, repositioning him on her hip. “You have to ask him nicely.”

“Noooo!” He rejected.

“You have to be polite to your mommies. Uncle Lincoln will only hold good little boys. Are you a good boy?” Octavia tried to help. It only served to anger him further. 

“Noooo!” Her son screeched, balling his hands into tiny fists and beating her wife’s collarbones in frustration.

Octavia sent Clarke an apologetic look, but the blonde simply shook her head.

“Okay, that’s enough.” Clarke huffed. “Lexa, put him down. He can walk.” She disciplined.

The moment Aden was placed back on the concrete, the crying surprisingly stopped and he tottered happily over to Lincoln’s heels, ramming into his knees. Using two pudgy, little hands, he repositioned himself to grab at the grubby doorframe, though Lincoln was really doing all of the work. She made a note to grab a wet wipe from the car to clean them off before giving him his afternoon snack. 

“Like Lincoln!” He beamed proudly up at his mothers before looking to Lincoln for approval. The two women glanced at each other in astonishment, finally realizing what their son had been request all along. 

The man chuckled, ruffling his hair. “Just like Uncle Lincoln.” He nodded affectionately. 

“Oh, yes Adey, you are such a gentleman.” Lexa praised. 

“Good job!” Clarke clapped her hands, scooping up their runny-nosed boy so they could both place kisses on his salty cheeks.

\---

It wasn’t that they didn’t love Aden. They did. It was just that they had so much love to give. And they wanted to share it all. So this time, when Lexa suggested a girl, Clarke knew exactly where they would go to find her.

They had brought Raven along, insisting that she could make it a vacation as well. She needed a break from the lab anyway. And besides, Clarke’s best friends were Aden’s godparents. It was only natural for Lexa’s best friend to serve as Anya’s.

The Latina had been reluctant to take the week off arguing that ‘a week of you being nauseatingly cute is not my idea of a good time’” Truth be told, she was still pretty excited about being able to visit Tibet. 

And by the time Anya was placed in her arms, Raven had forgotten all about her hesitancy in lieu of ogling over the little darling.

“Look at her! She’s so smart!” Raven noted as the baby attempted to mime her facial expression. Aden had crawled into his mother’s lap to get a better look at his new sister. Lexa bounced him lightly on her knees, arms wrapped securely around his waist.

“Isn’t your baby sister pretty, Aden?” Her wife asked from beside them. She combed through his hair affectionately, the bangs falling back over his eyes a moment later. She made a mental note to schedule an appointment with the barber upon their return to the states.

“She’s really small.” Was his reply.

“Little Gadget,” The Latina tutted with a shake of her head. “She may be little, but she has some big ideas.” Raven assured. “Just you wait. She’s going to grow up to be a kickass woman.”

“Raven!” Clarke glared. “Stop swearing in front of my kids!”

“You’re corrupting our children.” Lexa agreed.

The Latina shrugged, returning her attention to the small pink blanket in her arms, unable to suppress the smile she offered to their newest family member. 

\---

Nature versus nurture wasn’t a discussion Clarke often got in to, unless maybe it was with her mother. But there was no doubt in her mind that Anya was Raven’s goddaughter. Their little imp was mischievous and devious at times, and paired with her sharp mind and sly grin, there was no doubt that she was definitely raised as Raven’s goddaughter. 

“Are you excited to see everyone for Thanksgiving?” Clarke asked, looking over her shoulder at her daughter wiggling in her booster seat. The Griffin-Woods Thanksgiving dinner was an annual tradition. They always hosted their closest friends and family for an evening of games, bonding, and obviously, a mouth-watering meal. They had just finished dropping Aden off at Lincoln and Octavia’s for a playdate with Tris while they prepared in the kitchen. 

Anya’s rounded hand was clasped around a small rocketship as she made whirring noises with her mouth, spit bubbling in the corners as she did.

“Ec-statiss!” The little genius replied.

Clarke scrunched up her nose.

“I think she means ‘ecstatic.’” Her wife supplied. 

The blonde nodded, resuming chopping the carrots as Lexa placed the turkey in the oven. Somehow, the extensive vocabulary of their two year old didn’t come as a surprise. After all, her godmother was a literal rocket scientist.

“Who are you most ecstatic about seeing today?” Lexa inquired, bumping her hip slightly in signal.  Clarke sidestepped to allow her enough space to slip past her to run her hands under the sink, their bodies moving in a familiar synchronized dance. 

“Raven!” Her daughter chirped, despite having seen her godmother just a few days before. “Raven! Raven! Raven!” She continued to chant.

Clarke looked over at her wife as they shared a laugh. “Of course.”

\---

“How’s my little gidget?” The Latina grinned throwing the door open. She crouched down as best as she could with her knee brace hindering her movements, arms outstretched.

The little one puttered over, immediately crashing into her with more force than should really be humanly possible for such a tiny body. Raven rocked back, bracing her weight with one hand to regain her balance before hoisting herself up. When she was upright once again, Anya’s hand immediately reached up and wrapped around her index finger. 

They hobbled into the kitchen together. “Hey Clarkita!” She gave a head nod in the married couple’s direction. “Sup Lextra?” 

“Hey, Ray!” Her wife greeted.  

“I still don’t know why you insist on all of these nicknames.” Lexa chuckled, shaking her head. She took a moment to wipe her hands on the small washcloth hanging from the oven handle before going to offer her friend a hug. 

“You just don’t like that Lextra is the most embarrassing - and by embarrassing, I totally mean the most accurate- pet name you’ve ever had.” Raven teased.  

The blonde woman, hands sticky from mashing sweet potatoes, buried her mouth in her shoulder to subdue her laughter.

She rolled her eyes, nudging her wife in playful contempt. 

“Where’s the gadget?” The Latina asked as she surveyed the area for their son. 

“He’s over at Tris’ right now. Linc and O are going to drive them over later.” Clarke explained.

“So I’m the first one here?” She gaped, the entire group knowing she was notorious for running late. “That’s new.”

“Not quite.” A low voice reverberated from the corner. Bellamy emerged from the shadows with a freckled grin and plastic barrettes in his curls. 

“Hey, Reyes!” he greeted, unaffected by his makeover, courtesy of the toddler. “The second she heard you at the door, our tiny princess over here abandoned me.” he crossed his arms in feigned offense. Raven laughed at his ridiculous appearance, clapping him on the back with a friendly smirk. 

“Attagirl, An!” She praised. In response, Anya simply glared back at the man, shuffling closer to Raven. 

“What do you say we go out to my car and see what I brought ya?” The Latina proposed to her daughter.

Anya’s chocolate orbs immediately brightened as she nodded with eager enthusiasm.

\--- 

An hour later, the house was bustling with guests. Lexa and Clarke were standing at the island while Abby and Jake spoke animatedly with them about the vacation they had taken that summer. Lincoln and Octavia were in the backyard playing a game of tag with Aden and Tris. Bellamy and Wells were just making up after having a heated discussion regarding the ancient political structure of the Roman empire when Anya and her godmother finally emerged from the toddler’s bedroom.

“Hey  Anya, what did you Raven get up to in there?” Wells smiled as the pair approached.

“I made it go boom!” Anya grinned proudly, hand smeared with a dark brown substance. Lexa took one look at her daughter and cringed. 

“If you’ll excuse me.” She pardoned, grabbing a washcloth on the way.

“Anya, what did you do?” She eyed the little girl’s hands with apprehension. 

“I made it go boom!” She repeated proudly with an excited clap. 

She grimaced, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Anya, honey, we talked about this.” She lectured. “When you have to go to the bathroom, you need to…”

“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Anya chanted, quickly scampering away. 

Before Lexa could chase after the little tike, Raven quickly grasped her elbow. “Lextra, calm down.”

“Raven, my daughter just  _ shit  _ her pants in front of all of these guests.” Lexa groaned. “I can’t calm down.”

“She didn’t shit her pants.” The Latina laughed. “We made a volcano.”

“Wait, what?”

“That brown stuff is a mix of child-safe paint, baking soda, and vinegar. She may be messy, but she’s still fully in control of her bowel movements.” 

“That’s a relief.” Lexa sighed, shoulders deflating.

“You’re  _ so  _ extra sometimes.” Raven continued to tease, throwing an arm over Lexa’s shoulders as they returned back to the group.

\---

Lexa gazed lovingly at her brilliant wife who sat at the head of the table. The meal was going swimmingly, both Griffin-Woods women receiving compliments for their respective dishes.  As much as it pained her to be sitting so far away, she couldn’t help but feel proud as she watched Clarke effortlessly assume the role as hostess, conversing easily with Bellamy and LIncoln while helping Aden cut into his turkey without breaking eye contact with the men. 

“Mama?” Anya piped up as she swallowed her mash potatoes. 

Lexa turned to face her daughter. “Yes, baby?” She smiled sweetly at brown orbs. They soon narrowed as Anya surveyed the gathering around the table, eyes tracking back and forth between both of her mothers, as well as her brother and grandparents.

“What is it?” Lexa tilted her head curiously, waiting patiently for her daughter’s reply.

“I don’t look like you.” Anya frowned. “Why can’t I look like you?”

Her fork dropped to the ground the same time her jaw did. All attention immediately drew to the pair and she took a moment to come up with a reply.

“Well, Anya, you’re special.” She tried to deflect. She and Clarke hadn’t exactly discussed how they would go about telling their children they were adopted. She figured they would do it in the privacy of their own home, not during a large social gathering. She clenched her jaw. “Being special just means that…”

“Special means weird!” Her daughter interrupted with a pout, leaving Lexa distraught and heartbroken. 

“No, honey, it’s not…” She looked over to her wife who was watching them carefully from across the table. She raised her brows, hoping her wife had a better idea, but Clarke sat just as stunned in her chair at the sudden epiphany of their little girl’s. “It’s not possible for you to look like us.” 

“Why not?” She asked. 

“Uhh…” She desperately wracked her brain for an appropriate response.

When she could come up with nothing, Anya’s bottom lip began to wobble. “You don’t love me?” She asked.

“No, baby, of course I love you. Please don’t cry. You…”

“Let me handle this one.” Raven said, scooping up the toddler before gesturing a nonchalant wave of a hand at the group. “Carry on.”

The Latina gave a tilt of her chin for Lexa and Clarke to join her as she carried her goddaughter to her bedroom, sitting her gently on the bed before crouching down in front of her so that they were at eye level. Lexa hesitantly stood a few feet away with her wife at her side as the door closed behind them.

“Clarkita,” Raven beckoned for her wife to step forward. “Do you love me?” She asked.

Clarke blinked in confusion.

“Yes. Of course.” She replied. 

“See?” Raven turned to their daughter, brushing at her tears. “Just because I don’t look like your mom doesn’t mean she doesn’t love me.” She reasoned.

Anya seemed to ponder it with reluctance.

“Anya, you don’t have to look like someone for them to love you.” Raven continued. “I don’t look like you, but I love you. You’re my little gidget.” She assured. “And your mommies don’t look like me, but they love me.”

Anya sniffed.

“Does that make sense?” Raven inquired. Lexa had to give her props for simplifying a complicated and delicate subject to bring up.

The little Asian nodded before looking between her godmother and her adoptive mothers with a smile. She then launched herself at Raven for a hug, causing the Latina to fall onto her butt with a chuckle.

Lexa, eyes brimming with joyous tears stood in the corner and mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ as Raven continued to stroke her daughter’s hair. She felt a hand snake around her waist. She leaned into Clarke’s strong hold, heart filling with love.

Clarke leaned forward to place a kiss on her cheek, wiping the tears away. Just as she had managed to collect herself again, Anya rushed toward them, wrapping her little arms around each of their knees, chin resting on their thighs as she looked up at them with sparkling eyes.

“You’re special too, mommies.” She said simply. Her words were so pure that Lexa had to fight another wave of tears that threatened to escape.

When Anya dashed back out of the room, with Clarke quickly on her heels, Lexa swiped at her eyes. 

“Lextra.” Raven accused with a fake cough as she gave her a nudge. So maybe “Lextra” was the most accurate, not that she’d ever give Raven the satisfaction of knowing that she had admitted it to herself.

“Everything okay, tiny princess?” Bellamy asked as they all finally returned to the kitchen.

“No!” Anya huffed and Lexa’s stomach dropped yet again. She looked in alarm at her wife whose pokerface had fallen into a similar state of panic. 

“No?” Bellamy asked with concern. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“Don’t say princess!” Anya grumbled.

“But why?” He asked, taken aback.

“It’s dumb.” She said with more sass in her attitude that Lexa had thought a two year old could be capable of possessing.

Lexa gasped. “Anya! You apologize to Uncle Bellamy right now.” 

“It’s okay.” The man held up a hand. “So then what should I call you?”

“Spacewalker.” Her daughter replied immediately.

The Latina at her side let out a strangled noise before clasping her hand over mouth in embarassment. Lexa quickly turned to her friend, eyes widening in realization.

“Reyes!” She grinned. “Are you  _ crying? _ ” 

“Shut up!” Raven snapped, but Lexa could see the pink in her cheeks. “My knee just started hurting, that’s all.”

She knew the excuse was absolute bull. But Anya didn’t. Her daughter immediately ran towards her godmother, tiny hands patting the brace around her leg before leaving a sloppy kiss on her knee.

“Love makes boo-boos better.” Anya explained. 

If anybody saw tears escaping Raven Reyes’ eyes, they didn’t mention it. At least, not out loud. Except for Lexa, who simply feigned a coughed "extra" aimed in her best friend's direction. 


	2. How I Met Your Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is straight up the crackiest thing I've written. This chapter consists of "how they met" what they tell the kids vs. the real story.

**How They Met**

Clarke had just finished tucking their daughter in while her wife did the same for their son. The two women then switched places to place kisses on their opposite child’s forehead.

“Goodnight, little man.” She ruffled Aden’s strawberry hair as he snuggled under the sheets. 

Just as the married couple turned to leave, Anya kicked her feet up with as much strength as her little self could conjure, causing the blankets to go flying as she grinned mischievously. 

“Anya,” Lexa scolded with a chuckle before bending down to straighten the fabric, smoothing it out under her daughter’s chin. “It’s sleeping time, not play time.”

The preschooler replied to their berating with an indignant huff, kicking the sheets once more and rendering Lexa’s efforts pointless. This time Clarke took over, flattening the blanket, tucking it around her daughter’s sides with playful ‘karate chops,’ complete with  _ hai-ya _ sound effects that caused their little one to squeal in laughter, falling into a fit of giggles until she was done. 

“Goodnight, my precious imp.” Clarke whispered with an affectionate tap to her daughter’s nose. Anya scrunched it up in a very Clarke-like fashion, obviously having picked up the habit from herself. She chuckled, meeting her wife’s gaze. The woman’s green eyes were sparkling and the way that she was looking at her, watching the whole exchange, filled Clarke’s heart so much that she swore it would burst. 

Lexa seemed to pick up on her emotions because she quickly pressed forward and brushed her knuckles over the girl’s cheeks before giving Aden’s toes a wiggle over the sheets.

“Sweet dreams, my loves.” Lexa whispered, already slipping her hand around to the small of Clarke’s back to escort them towards the door. Tonight, Clarke could tell, she would revel in some private time with her wife and they...

“Mommies?” Her son’s voice rang out. 

Lexa turned while Clarke remained firmly planted behind her. The blonde’s hands were already starting to navigate their way under the hem of her shirt, scratching lightly at the skin around her hipbones. She smirked when she felt goosebumps rising underneath her fingertips as Lexa cleared her throat. 

“Yeah, monkey?” Lexa asked, peeking in through the crack. 

She hid the smug grin at the base of her wife’s neck, burying it into her skin with a kiss. Lexa gave a light shove backwards, which Clarke knew was a subtle attempt to scold her for trying to rile her up in front of their children.

“What is it?” Lexa asked.

“Will you tell us a bedtime story?” He requested shyly. 

“Honey, it’s late.” Clarke reasoned, chin resting on her wife’s shoulder. “You should…”

“Please!” Anya joined in.

“Yeah, please!” They chorused, batting their eyes. Clarke remained steadfast against their manipulations, but Lexa was already slipping out of her grasp,  caving to their children’s pleading. She shook her head, laughing to herself as she followed. Lexa was  _ such  _ a pushover.

“Okay. But it has to be a quick one.” Lexa said, sitting on the edge of Anya’s bed while Clarke took the edge of Aden’s. “What story do you want to hear? How about ‘Jack and the Beanstock’ or maybe ‘The Frog Prince?’” She suggested. 

“No,” her son shook his head. “Tell us how you and Mommy met!” 

Her eyes widened.  Their bedtime stories had always been ones of the classics or something they could easily spin up. This was the first time they had requested a real story and of all the ones to tell. 

She looked knowingly at her wife who was biting her lip, fighting off her laughter. 

“Well, honey,” Lexa began. “Umm, Mommy and I…”

“Met at the dog park!” Clarke frantically cut off. One look from her son’s expectant eyes and she knew that they were committed to this the plot.

“Dog park?” Lexa quirked a brow. Clarke narrowed her gaze. “Oh right! Of course, we were at the dog park. Yup, exactly. It was a nice Friday afternoon and I had just finished with a really long business meeting at work and decided to take a walk.”

“That’s when I saw Mama crawling on the ground with her phone out.” Clarke continued with a smirk, already formulating a ridiculous story in her head. She didn’t have to look at her wife to know she was already questioning what direction this tale was taking.

“Right, I was on the ground…” She said hesitantly as she looked to her wife for help.

“Because she was taking pictures of the dogs.” She filled in. “You know how much Mama loves dogs, right?” Clarke turned to Anya. “Just like you, little imp.” 

Her daughter beamed proudly. “What was the doggy’s name, Mommy?” She tilted her head curiously. 

“I think his name was…” Clarke tapped her chin, pretending to recall the imaginary mutt and its imaginary dog tag hanging from its collar. 

“Fish.” Lexa supplied in retaliation, raising a single brow to dare her to object to the ridiculous name.

“Okay then,” Clarke snorted. “The dog Mama was taking pictures of was named Fish.” 

“What did Fish look like?” Aden interrupted.

“I don’t remember.” Clarke turned to Lexa, pursing her lips with a challenging gaze. “Mama, do you remember what Fish looked like?”

“Oh, I most certainly do.” Lexa responded without missing a beat. The story was starting to become just as entertaining for the wives as it was for their kids. “I learned his name was Fish because of the flashy red collar around his neck. Fish was a gigantic Bernese Mountain Dog with big floppy paws and dark black fur all over his back.” She could see her children leaning in, eyes alight with rapt attention. 

“But he wasn’t all black.” Lexa disclaimed. “His legs were brown, and his tummy and paws were white.” She gave Aden’s fingers a wiggle and Anya’s stomach a tickle. “It almost looked like he was wearing little white gloves and socks on his feet.” She continued to spin up the fabricated canine in quite a bit of detail, much to Clarke’s amusement. 

Her children squealed in delight.

“Tell us more!” Anya demanded with glee, slamming her fist enthusiastically on the bedspread. “What was he playing with?”

“Patience, my love.” Lexa laughed. “Well, when I met Fish, he was running around with a tennis ball in his mouth. A bright green one.” 

“But, when did you meet Mommy?” Aden interrupted, still curious to know how the plot progressed. She could tell by the twinkle in her wife’s eye that Lexa was just as curious.

“Clarke, would you like to take over from here?” Lexa asked with amusement. 

“In fact, I would.” The blonde grinned. “As Mama was saying, we were at the dog park and I was there babysitting Chewy because Aunty O and Uncle Lincoln were out of town.”

“Where did they go?” Anya cut in.

“They were visiting Uncle Bellamy.” She transitioned smoothly. 

“Why?” She asked. 

“It was for his birthday.” Clarke answered again, unfazed by the onslaught of questions from their ever so curious daughter. 

“Why didn’t he invite you?” Aden frowned. “That’s mean!” 

Clarke laughed. “I had a showcase so I couldn’t leave town. So instead of being lonely and spend the weekend by myself, I offered to watch Chewy for them. That way I’d have a friend, too.” She explained. 

From the corner of her eye, she could see her wife nodding, clearly impressed with her effortless bullshitting abilities. 

“And while I was at the dog park with Chewy, I saw your mama. She was completely dressed in her work clothes, playing with a big Bernese Mountain Dog while crawling on her hands and knees trying to take pictures of him. She didn’t even know she was getting all muddy in the process.” 

She couldn’t help but release a giggle as she imagined her wife in a clean pressed blazer, four inch heels, and pencil skirt attempting to chase after a dog twice her size.

“I must have really liked that dog.” Lexa chimed in knowingly. “I bet it was quite a sight to see.”

“Oh, you were.” She winked. “Anyway,” she cleared her throat, redirecting her attention back to her children’s eager faces. “I noticed that your mama had gotten so distracted by playing with this dog, that she didn’t even know her phone had fallen out of her pocket and was just laying on the ground.”

“But Mama never forgets her phone!” Aden noted. “She needs it for work.”

“I know.” Clarke grinned, loving how her son knew her wife’s career habits and instilled sense of responsibility. “She just  _ really  _ liked that dog.” 

Lexa chuckled, shaking her head as she began mindlessly combing her fingers through Anya’s hair. The littlest family member let out a small, comforted yawn, snuggling into her mother’s side as she rest her head on the pillow. 

“He  _ was  _ a pretty cute dog.” The brunette agreed. “That’s probably why it took so long for me to notice your mommy.” She said.

Clarke gasped in fake offense. “Your mama wasn’t very observant back then.” The blonde retaliated. 

Lexa rolled her eyes. Clarke scrunched her nose, sticking out her tongue before they both shared a grin, knowing it was quite the opposite. 

“So when I realized your mama wasn’t going to pick up her phone, I took Chewy by his leash and got her phone for her. I took a picture of myself and added my phone number into her contacts. Then I used it to call my own phone so I’d have her number before walking Chewy over to where your mama was kneeling and petting Fish.” 

“Then what…” Aden’s eyes started to droop. “happened?” He managed to yawn. 

“Then I gave your mama her phone back and she was very,  _ very  _ grateful.” Clarke mused, biting back her laughter. “And later I called her and told her she should thank me for finding her phone by taking me out for dinner.”

“And did you?” Her son turned to Lexa. “Did you take Mommy out to dinner?”

“Of course, she did.” Clarke interrupted as Lexa laughed, unable to hold it in. “She just couldn’t say ‘no’ to me.” 

“You think you’re so smooth.” The brunette scolded lightly. 

“I was.” Clarke playfully puffed out her chest.  

“That’s not how I remember it.” She raised a brow in challenge. 

“Hmm, you’ll have to jog my memory then.” Clarke retorted with a cheshire grin.  “But for now, you two,” she gestured to her little ones, “need to go to bed.”

After another round of protests the two children were snuggly tucked in and Clarke delicately shut the door behind her and Lexa before tugging her quickly over to their bedroom.

When they stepped through the doorframe of their own room, Lexa gave her a quick tap to the rear to signal for her to get ready for bed.

“See?” Clarke smirked over shoulder. “You do find me irresistible.” 

She just barely dodged the pillow thrown in her direction. 

\--- 

**How They Really Met**

_ She couldn’t believe she was doing this. It was borderline creepy. Actually, no. Take that back. It was incredibly creepy. But she was desperate. The deadline to turn in her project was only a week away and she had procrastinated finding a model for the assignment up until now. To be fair, Octavia and Raven were also partly to blame though, always making her go out for drinks and partying way too late. How was she supposed to find someone willing to take their clothes off to model for her nude assignment? Raven had offered, just to be obnoxious, and for a moment she almost considered it. But that would have just been weird and she would really never live that down. _

_ No, she needed to find a stranger. Someone she could be objective about. After all, the assignment  was  the expose the “naked truth.” Her professor thought he was being so witty when he came up with the title. So now here she was, standing outside the strip club with a wad of cash, hoping to pay a wholesome stripper willing to offer some of her time. _

_ She had been parked at the back of the club, watching the neon “Girls, girls, girls” sign flashing for admittedly far too long to be considered healthy. Just as she was about to lose her courage, the backdoor swung open and a leggy brunette in a pair of sinfully short high-waisted denims. The crop top she was wearing exposed a toned midriff and delicate arms and beautiful lines. Clarke could work with that. She swallowed the lump in her throat and unlocked the door.  _

_ Here goes nothing. Or everything.  _

_ “Hey!” She called out from across the lot. “Excuse me!”  _

_ She broke into a light jog. “Hey! Wait up!”  _

_ The girl’s green eyes tracked over her. “Can I help you?” _

_ “Yes, actually. Well, I hope.” She offered out the rolled dollar bills awkwardly. _

_ The brunette cocked a brow.  _

_ “I uhh,” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I don’t know how to say this without sounding totally weird. But I have to do a nude portrait assignment for my art class and I need to find a model. And you well…” She gestured to the girl’s figure. “You’re really umm, aesthetically pleasing.”  _

_ The girl remained in place, car keys still resting between her fingers and her phone in the palm of her hand. _

_ “Umm, I was kind of hoping you’d be able to help me out.” She pressed on, feeling the tips of her ears burning as she continued.  “You can, you know, you could just pretend I was like, a client or something.” She shuffled awkwardly. _

_ “I’m not…” _

_ “I mean, I’d pay you for your time, obviously.” Clarke added. “And you won’t have to… you know. Uhh… offer any other services.” she blushed at the insinuation.  _

_ The brunette’s eyes widened and even though the situation was uncomfortable, Clarke couldn’t help the way her breath hitched when those green orbs caught the light. _

_ “But I’m not…” _

_ “Look,” Clarke began. “Wait… what’s your name?” _

_ “Lexa.” She replied warily.  _

_ “Ok. Lexa, I’m begging you here.” Clarke grimaced at her own desperation. “This assignment is literally 70% of my grade. I can’t screw it up. My roommate, Raven, not that her name really matters. Whatever. Anyway, she tried to convince me to use a porn actress, but I just can’t. It's..." she shuttered. _

_ Lexa’s jaw tightened and Clarke immediately backtracked, worrying that she had offended the girl who, as of now, could be her only ticket to passing the semester. _

_ “I’m sorry. I just… I need a live, but modest model that can stay still and…” _

_ “I can’t help you.” Lexa replied with a hint of amusement.  I’m not…” _

_ “Please!” Clarke groveled, practically falling to her hands and knees.  She knew she had probably surpassed all levels of pathetic, but she needed to find someone and Craigslist was out of the question. _

_ “I’m not a stripper.” The girl seemed adamant on saying. _

_ “I won’t tell anybody about your profession.” Clarke tried to assure. “The entire thing is anonymous. I won’t even show your face if you don’t want. I just need a subject to…” _

_ “I’m not a stripper!” Lexa repeated with a definitive shake of her head. _

_ “I saw you walk out, but I’m not judging you.” Clarke attempted to assuage. “Please. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has to make living and…” _

_ The brunette rolled her eyes, beginning to walk away.  _

_ “Wait! Please!” Clarke chased. “I’m sorry.” _

_ Lexa waited expectantly.  _

_ “Let me start over.” Clarke extended her hand. “Hi, my name is Clarke Griffin. I’m a creative arts major at Arkadia University and I need to find someone who’s comfortable with being naked in front of strangers so that I can paint them. And know this is totally weird because we don’t really know each other. But I’m desperate.”  _

_ Lexa let her lips tilt the slightest bit to the side as she let her palm press into Clarke’s. The art student sighed with relief. _

_ “If the money isn’t enough, you can tell me what you want instead. Just take pity on this procrastinating college-student who pathetically needs to pass her class.” She added her most charming grin. _

_ “I’m sorry, Clarke." Lexa said more gently, clicking the 'k' of Clarke's name with delicacy. "I still can’t help you. I have to go."  _

_ B _ _ efore she could utter another word, Lexa was climbing into her car, already halfway out of the parking lot. But not before Clarke caught her gaze in the rearview mirror; green eyes filled with a sense of pity and curiosity all rolled into one.  _

_ \--- _

_ The next day, she had updated her roommate on her misfortunes, to which the Latina responded by falling into a fit of hysterics. _

_ “I mean, just because one chick wouldn’t take the money doesn’t mean another won’t. You just have to try again.” Raven shrugged, launching a small home-made propeller in her direction.   _

_ Clarke rolled her eyes, unfazed as she plopped into the couch next to the Latina’s bum leg. “It’s useless.” She groaned. “I’m going to fail the class and have to switch my major to pre-med and it’ll take me twice as long to graduate and I won’t be done with school until I’m 30 and no one will want me and I’ll have to get cats and…” _

_ “Whoa there!” Raven laughed, bopping her with a pillow. “First of all, quit being so dramatic. Second, It’s gonna be fine! I’ll text O. Once she gets back, we’ll grab dinner, change into something cute, and go out.” She proposed, already fiddling with her phone. _

_ “I can’t go out again!” She threw her hands in the air. “That’s what got me into this mess in the first place.”  _

_ The Latina lightly punched her in the arm. “I meant we’d go out to POLEis. Geez, Clarkita! Lord help me if you ever find someone as extra as you.” She said, not bothering to look up from her text.  _

_ “I hate you.” _

_ \--- _

_ “I’m not drunk enough for this.” Octavia shook her head, downing the rest of her drink while Clarke tried desperately not to flush whenever she made eye contact with one of the performers.  _

_ Raven was getting a kick out of it as she not-so-subtly hid her laughter behind her hand.  _

_ “Come on, O. Let’s see if we can flirt our way into getting the bartender to sneak us a couple free drinks.” She smirked, grabbing Octavia by the wrist. “And you,” She pointed to Clarke, finger dangerously close to her nose. “Get moving! Chop chop!” _

_ Clarke groaned, burying her face in her hands. Why were her friends like this? _

_ She surveyed the establishment and the occasional women emerging from behind the curtained hallway, a bright red “private” sign hanging overhead and a muscular bouncer guarding the velvet ropes. POLEis was actually pretty classy, as far as strip clubs went. At least, from what Clarke could tell. She had her fair share of parties, but strip clubs were never included in that.  _

_ Was this what rock bottom felt like?  _

_ Would Professor Pike really know if she just painted herself? She could throw in a few modifications and possibly get away with it. Or maybe… _

_ “Clarkita!” Raven shouted with Octavia following close behind and their hands empty. _

_ “What happened to getting drinks?”  _

_ “You need to work your Griffin charm because she’s not into brunettes.” Raven rolled her eyes. “Which is stupid, because I mean, look at us.” She gestured to herself and Octavia.  _

_ “Humble.” Clarke muttered.  “Are you sure she’s not just like, really straight?”  _

_ “Oh trust me, that girl is anything but.” _

_ Clarke chuckled to herself, adjusting her top to reveal just a little more cleavage. “You owe me.” _

_ “Or maybe you’ll owe me.” Raven retorted smugly. “Go!” Her roommate was already shoving her towards the bar.  _

_ “What does that even mean?” She made to say, but turned to find her friends had already gone. With a huff, she proceeded to the bar. She may not be able to ask a stripper to model for her, but she could definitely charm her way into a few free drinks, that she was confident of. _

_ The bartender was wearing a tied red, plaid shirt and a pair of denim shorts that revealed the long lengths of her legs, similar to the ones that Clarke had previously seen Lexa wearing.  _

_ “Excuse me,” She husked sweetly, propping her elbows on the counter as she leaned over the bar. “It’s a little hot out there. Do you think my friends and I could get a couple of drinks?”  _

_ The bartender turned and Clarke’s jaw dropped.  _

_ “Lexa?”  _

_ “Hello, Clarke.” The brunette smirked, not at all affected by the surprising coincidence. “How can I help you?” _

_ “I…” She gaped, feeling an arm around her shoulder. She turned to find Octavia giggling and Raven grinning like the devil herself.  _

_ “What the hell?” _

_ “I’d introduce you, but it looks like you already know each other.” Raven smirked. _

_ It took a moment but then she realized. _

_ “Oh my God, Raven!” Clarke smacked her arm. “You knew? You knew the whole time and you set me up!” _

_ The Latina threw her head back as she cackled. “Clarke, meet Lexa Woods. Or as I used to call her, Alexandria, my preschool girlfriend.” _

_ “Shut up!” Clarke gasped. “You’re  the Alexandria?” _

_ Raven had moved in junior high and quickly fell into sync with Clarke’s group of friends. Clarke had only been given bits and pieces of her past, but she knew that Raven and Alex had been close. They had kept in touch even after the move, but Clarke had never gotten the chance to meet her.  _

_ “I usually to go by Lexa now, but yes.” The brunette grinned, extending her hand. “I just transferred this semester. But I’ve heard a lot about you.” _

_ “I umm, yeah. I’ve heard a lot about you too.” Clarke blushed.  _

_ “Alright,” Raven assessed. “Looks my work here is done. Let’s go, O.” She beckoned, grabbing two drinks off the counter and shooting Lexa a wink. “Play nice you two.” _

_ She turned bashfully back to the bartender. “You really aren’t one of them.” She flushed apologetically.  _

_ “I told you I wasn’t.” Lexa replied smoothly. _

_ “I… wow. I’m so sorry. I was such a…” _

_ “It’s okay.” Lexa chuckled. “Raven already gave me a heads up.” _

_ “Still… is there anything I can do to make it up to you?” _

_ Lexa smirked. “I could think of a few things, but let’s start with dinner. Your treat.”  _

_ “Dinner. On me." Clarke nodded. "I can definitely do that."  _

_ \--- _

 

_ The rest was history. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's for AZ.


	3. Makeup and Beauty Tips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The difference between Aden, Clexa, and Anya's experiences with makeup.

It was date night and Clarke was overtly giddy. It had been a while since she and Lexa had a chance to have an evening to themselves, not out of responsibility or obligation, but simply because they wanted to spend time together as a family. But her parents were visiting, which meant a free babysitter and home-cooked meals. Nothing could be better.

Clarke had just finished up in the bathroom, sliding around her wife, hand skirting shamelessly along the small of her back as she passed, giving her a gently tap to the rear. Lexa lowered her eyelash curler, glowering playfully before rolling her eyes with a chuckle. Clarke let her be, noticing a tuff of strawberry blonde hiding in the corner.

“What’s up, Little Man?” She acknowledged the peeping child behind the doorway, holding out a palm. “Come on, let’s give Mama some space.” 

His preschool fingers latched around her index as she guided them both further into the bedroom. Scooping him up with one arm under his shoulders and another at the back of his knees, she spun him around before releasing to plop the little tike onto the bed. Aden’s giggles resounded through the room before he finally settled onto the mattress. 

His gaze soon wandered back to the bathroom door and Clarke followed the trail to find him watching her wife with curiosity. “What’s Mama doing?” Aden whispered to his mother, eyes trained to the contraption in Lexa’s fingers. 

**“** Her makeup.” Clarke explained. “Just like she does every morning, remember?” Though most days, Lexa’s makeup routine was less dramatic and more of a conservative, professional look. The smokey eye she was working on was currently doing something to Clarke’s heart-rate and and she directed her attention back to her son to keep her mind from spiraling inappropriately. 

“But what’s that?” He balled his hand, extending just one finger.

Clarke kissed his head before answering. “An eyelash curler, honey. It helps make her eyes pop.”

Her son’s eyes immediately widened in alarm and he let out a whimper.

“What’s wrong, Adey?” She inquired, noticing the wobble in the boy’s lower lip. 

Her concern only served to cause him more distress as tears began to fall.

“Hey, monkey! Shh! Talk to Mommy.” Clarke coaxed, running her fingers through his hair before cupping his face and swiping his cheeks with her thumb. “Why are you upset all of a sudden?”

“I don’t want Mama’s eyes to pop!” Aden panicked, hiccuping more sobs. “B-balloons pop! It’s scary!” He burrowed into her chest.

“Oh, no, Aden!” The blonde managed to hide her laughter, rubbing his back. “That’s not what I meant. Mama uses it with her makeup so she feels pretty. It doesn’t hurt her and her eyes aren’t going to pop like balloons.” She assured.

Her son let the words settle before sitting up, only to wipe his runny nose on his sleeve. Clarke reached for the nightstand, retrieving the tissue box and attempted to remove some of the snot from the fabric. 

“Tissues, Aden.” She lectured gently, placing a clean one into the palm of his little hand, partially blanketing the boy’s forearm. He dabbed sloppily at his face while Clarke continued to work with his sleeve. 

“Mommy?” Aden inquired. 

“Yeah, honey?” She hummed.

“Why doesn’t Mama think she’s pretty?”

The blonde was taken aback, blinking before a warm smile crept onto her face. “I think Mama knows she’s pretty, Aden.” Clarke softened.

“Then why does she use makeup?” Aden inquired, cocking his head to the side. 

Clarke chuckled. “Don’t worry, baby. I’ll remind your mama just how pretty she is.” 

“Okay.” Her son replied just as the doorbell rang. “Grandma!” He shot up, sliding off the side of the bed on his stomach, causing Clarke to lurch forward reflexively. His little socked feet landed squarely on the ground and bounded toward the stairs.

“Aden!” She called after him. “Slow down.” 

She caught him by the steps, his little legs not quite agile enough to run down them as quickly as his mother. With her son in her arms, she moved the answer the door, throwing it open to her mother’s open arms. Aden released his grip from around her neck, already falling out of of her grasp and leaning to his grandfather.

“How’s my grandson?” Jake grinned, transferring Aden into his arms. The boy latched onto him, wrapping his legs around Jake’s torso. 

“Hi, Grampy!” 

“Hi, Adey!”her father chuckled, bouncing him once before bringing them all into a group hug. He extended his neck to place a kiss on Clarke’s forehead before drawing back. “Now where’s my favorite daughter at?” Jake smirked, theatrically surveying the house.

Clarke huffed with playful indignance. 

“Hi, Dad.” A soothing voice greeted from the top of the stairs. Clarke turned to find her stunning wife in a little black dress, dark smokey eyes, and her hair curled in gentle waves, falling to compliment the silver accent piece resting on her clavicle. 

“So pretty.” The blonde’s breath hitched.

“Look at my girl!” Her mother cooed. “Oh my gosh, both of you!” She gasped as her wife joined her by her side. Clarke was wearing a white dress with a soft flowing hemline, a perfect compliment to Lexa’s tight, dark attire. 

“Aren’t your mothers just beautiful?”

Aden held out his arms, beckoning them to step forward. The couple shifted so he could wrap one arm them around each of their necks as they placed a kiss on each of his cheeks, imprinting the soft skin with a rosy mark of their love.

She let the lipstick stain rest there as Lexa tapped him on the nose before addressing her parents.

“Thank you again for doing this. When we said you could visit, we didn’t mean for you to become a babysitter. Are you sure you...”

“Yes!” Her mother immediately cut off. “Stop worrying.” She assured while offering Lexa a endeared smile. “Go treat my baby to a wonderful night out. And I’ll treat yours with a wonderful night of his own.” She smirked.

Clarke already knew her mother was going to spoil him. “No sugar after seven, Mom.” She warned, placing Aden back on the ground. He soon puttered away with Jake in tow, pointing excitedly to his train set.

“I’ll miss you too, Aden.” She sighed, gazing longingly at her little one. She looked over to find Lexa doing the same, offering her a sympathetic smile. Suddenly, she wasn’t so excited to be apart, even if it was just for a few hours. 

“Cheer up, tonight is for you.” Abby smiled. “Enjoy it.” She gave their hands a squeeze as she ushered them out, sending them off with an air kiss to each cheek. 

\---

After the initial sadness of leaving their son behind faded, the two decided it would do no good to mope. Soon, they were each three drinks into the night, a pleasant buzz swimming in their brain and a warm heat in their stomachs. Dinner was delectable, as was the sight of Lexa’s green eyes glowing by the candlelight of the dimly lit restaurant.

“Come on, pretty. Let me take you home.” Clarke husked as though they were still in college, flagging down their waiter.  

Lexa’s cheeks grew a lovely shade of pink as Clarke slipped her hand around her waist, accompanying her to the car. They drove back with their fingers intertwined and fell into a fit of giggles when Lexa tried to take off her heels as quietly as possible, only to stumble into the table in the darkness. 

The women managed to make their way up the stairs without further trouble, fingers dragging over zippers and dresses pooling around their ankles while their lips stayed lock together. They stepped into the shower together, hands roaming and breath growing heavy. It wasn’t until Clarke felt Lexa trembling under her fingertips that she drew back.

“You cold?” She teased as Lexa bit her lip. Clarke melted, running her thumb over the brunette’s bottom lip, coaxing it back out. They readied quickly after that, slipping back into their room.

“Come here.” She urged, backing up until her knees hit the edge of the bed and pulling Lexa with her. She maneuvered under the sheets and  Lexa followed suit, slipping in behind her. Clarke shuffled back, pressing her body to Lexa’s front, loving the feeling of their skin on skin. 

“Why aren’t you holding me?” The blonde whispered into the darkness.

“Cold hands.” Lexa responded and Clarke felt a feather-light kiss being left at the base of her neck as consolation.

She rolled her eyes before rotating to press her chest against her wife’s. “I don’t care.” She snuggled closer, tucking herself into the crook of Lexa’s neck, nose brushing lightly over her pulse point. She let her fingers creep up the brunette’s arm, circling where she knew her tattoos resided. Clarke took Lexa’s wrist, guiding her hand around her body, letting it fall on her hip. The cold tips of Lexa’s fingers pressed against the small of her back, shooting a spark up her spine. She hummed, shifting closer in response.

“Babe?” She cooed, pupils dilated in the darkness as they strained to make out the details on her wife’s face. She lifted a finger to trace along her jawline, up to the woman’s ear, and finally thread through the thick waves of brown hair, nails scratching lightly at her scalp.

“Yes, love?” Lexa purred, leaning forward enough to brush their noses lazily.

“You know, Aden was under the impression that you didn’t think you were pretty.”

“What?” Lexa’s eyebrows stitched together. Clarke giggled, pressing her lips to the wrinkled skin until it evened out again. “What made him think that?”

Clarke smiled. “I told him using makeup made you feel pretty and he misunderstood. He thought that meant you didn’t feel pretty without it. Our little man is so thoughtful.” 

Lexa chuckled with a hum.

“Lex?” The blonde tilted forward, lips ghosting over her wife’s.

“Yes, Clarke?”

“You  _ are _ pretty.” Clarke complimented.

Lexa grinned, connecting their lips. “Thoughtful.” She murmured.

Clarke spent the rest of the night showering her wife with love, showing  _ just  _ how thoughtful she could be before Lexa flipped their positions on top of her, cold fingers skating down her stomach and between her legs. Then again, Lexa could be pretty  _ thoughtful  _ too.    
\---

Lexa had been preparing for a high-profile case that would surely set her apart from the rest of her colleagues. She could practically taste the promotion on her tongue. And when she got it, she planned to take her entire family on a cruise along the Mediterranean for a week of well-deserved rest and relaxation. 

But for now, that prestige and responsibility came with late nights at the office and cold sandwiches from the shop down the street while her wife was home alone with the kids. This also included missing out on their annual beach house weekend, which had been a tradition ever since their college days. She had insisted that they go without her, reasoning that Lincoln, Octavia, and Raven would be able to entertain her wife and children in lieu of her absence. Eyes on the prize, she had motivated.

So here she was, surrounded by stacks of law encyclopedias filled with regulatory documents and her laptop opened to six different governing websites searching for every possible loophole to fill so she could solidify her case. Her phone buzzed and Lexa adjusted the rims of her glasses before setting her book aside to answer the video chat request from her wife. 

“Hello, love.” She greeted as the screen came into focus. Instead of her wife’s beautiful face, she was met with an adorable gremlin grinning back at her with a toothy smile.

“Tell me I’m pretty!” The mud-masked woman demanded with a playful growl.

“No.” Lexa defiantly refused.

“Wow.” Clarke frowned. “Rude. Why are we married again?”

The brunette laughed. “Looks like you’re having a good time.” She acknowledged. “Whose idea was that one?”

“O’s.” Clarke chirped. As if on cue, the brunette’s face popped into view with matching dark smears across her face. 

“Hey, Lexa! How’s work?”

“It’s work.” She shrugged. “How’s vacation?”

“Good! Lincoln took Aden and Tris boogie boarding and the last time I checked, Raven was lounging with Anya in the kiddie pool.”

“That sounds relaxing.” Lexa couldn’t help the slight envy in her tone.

“It is! Anyway, I’ll let you two get back to your chat.” Octavia gave a small wave before scooting away and Lexa could just barely make out her figure, in the background of the field of view, placing a pair of cucumber slices over her eyes.

“Is An really at the kiddie pool?” Lexa quirked a brow knowingly. It wasn’t like her daughter to stay put in the confines of a small children’s pool, even if her favorite godmother was present.

“No.” Clarke snorted. “They’re building sand castles on the beach too. Well, Raven is probably building them. I’d imagine An is stomping around, smashing into them like Godzilla.”

Lexa nodded. “You know, I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

The couple shared a private moment, communicating simply with their eyes instead of their words. 

“I miss you.” Clarke noted after a moment.

“I miss you too, love.” Lexa replied tenderly.

“You know what would make this trip even better?” Her wife proposed with a sly grin.

“No, tell me.”

“If you…” Clarke’s eyes twinkled as she bit her lip seductively. “If you would tell me I’m pretty.” And with that, the mood had switched completely as Clarke stuck her tongue out and her eyes went crossed.

Lexa burst into laughter at her wife’s irresistibly adorable behavior. “Nope. Don’t think I can do that.” She teased.

“Fine. Just wait, one day I’ll get all dolled up and look super hot and you’re going to change your mind.” The blonde flipped her hair over her shoulder in a mock-diva fashion. 

The brunette chuckled again. “I probably won’t.” She schooled her expression to one of upmost seriousness. “You will never be pretty.”

“Wow. Seriously?” Clarke’s smile fell. “What the fuck, Lexa?” She grumbled, her irritation morphing from playful to genuine. 

“Just telling the truth.” The brunette brushed off, teetering dangerously on the thin line of her wife’s patience.

Clarke’s eyes narrowed with anger. “What is your problem today?” 

Lexa couldn’t hold it in any longer. Her face broke into the biggest grin as she replied. “Nothing. You will never be ‘pretty’ because you’re so much more than that. You are breathtaking, stunning, gorgeous, beautiful, magnificent, enchanting... Pretty is far too inferior of a word to describe you.” 

If it weren’t for the mud mask, she was certain her wife’s cheeks would be bright red. “Oh, you are  _ so  _ lucky right now!” Clarke softened before breaking into a smile of her own. 

“Most definitely.” Lexa agreed. “I am  _ incredibly  _ lucky to have you as my wife and the mother of our two wonderful children.” Lexa praised, causing Clarke to scrunch up her nose bashfully. 

“Oh my god, I’m here to relax, not vomit!” She heard Octavia groaning from off screen, pulling the two out of their little bubble.

Clarke beamed as Lexa hid a giggle behind her hand. 

“Alright, love.” Lexa sighed. “I’ll let you get back to your spa day. I love you.”

“I love you more.” Clarke shot back immediately.

“Not possible.” Lexa insisted.

“Definitely possible.” 

“Oh my god, hang up already!” 

The call ended to the sound of Clarke’s laughter and Octavia’s feigned retching in the background.  

\---

“Babe? Have you seen my makeup bag?” Clarke shouted from the top of the stairs.

“No. It’s not down here.” Lexa called back up from her place in front of the stove. “Where’s the last place you had it?”

“In the bathroom like always.” The blonde replied with a huff of annoyance. 

Clarke normally didn’t wear makeup to work, but today was an exhibit day, which only happened the first Saturday of every month. And that meant that the public would be able to peer into her gallery space to see her live at work. It was a feature that she prided herself in when she had first proposed it to her boss, Dante. But right now, her desire to make an impressionable appearance to prospective buyers was running into a bit of a difficulty. 

“I’m sorry, love. I don’t know where it’s at then.” Lexa apologized over the sound of bacon sizzling in the frying pan. 

She paced the hall. She  _ could  _ use Lexa’s, but their skin tones didn’t quite match. She had always had more of a porcelain complexion, while her wife has a warmer tanness to her tone.

“Clarke, can you bring Anya downstairs?” Her wife requested. “Breakfast is ready.” 

“On it.” She sighed. The makeup would have to wait.

Clarke made her way down the hall to their daughter’s room, smiling at the sight of her littlest one hunched over her toys with her back to the door, completely unaware of the intruder.

“An, it’s time to eat.” She beckoned and her daughter’s spine straightened. The little girl quickly brought her hands up to her face, rubbing at something Clarke couldn’t see from the angle she was at.

“Anya? What have you got there?” She sing-songed.

“I… I wanted to be like Mama.” Her daughter confessed sheepishly before turning around. Clarke could hardly contain her laughter when she was met with her daughter’s face with sloppily drawn rings around her eyes, which had been smeared in her haste to cover up the evidence of having stolen Clarke’s makeup bag. She couldn’t even be mad about the waste of eyeliner, or the mascara that was streaking down her cheeks.

“Lexa, could you come up here, please?” She called out.

“One sec.” Was her wife’s muffled response. A few seconds later the sound of footsteps padding up the stairs could be heard before stopping in the doorway.

“What’s going on?”

“Tell Mama what you just told me, Little Imp.” Clarke requested with a hint of amusement.

Lexa raised a brow, waiting for her daughter’s reply.

“I’m Mama!” Anya beamed proudly, pointing to her raccoon-like makeup. 

“You’re something, alright.” Lexa chuckled,  scooping up the toddler  and placing her on her hip. “Come on, An. Let’s go.” She immediately headed towards the bathroom while Clarke gathered the remnants of her makeup, surveying the damage. Thankfully, most was still salvageable. 

“You know,” Clarke leaned against the doorframe as she watched her wife bending over the tub to draw a bath with one hand, the other holding Anya snuggly in place against her side. “I’ve always said your liner was too heavy.” The blonde teased. 

Lexa scowled before. “You STFU.” She abbreviated for the sake of her daughter. 

Clarke stepped forward until a laugh breathed over their lips. “Make me.” She challenged. 

“Gladly.” Lexa grinned, connecting their lips.


	4. In Sickness and In Health

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anya is going to be the reason Clexa goes grey. (For those who wanted more Raven/Anya interaction.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based loosely on a real event.

It was somewhat manipulative, she had to admit - bribing the children. And in the world of parenting, maybe not their disciplined moment. But both mothers knew that it would be the best way to placate their kids, especially their daughter, whose last doctor’s visit had gone less than ideally. 

Clarke had suggested they go to the movies  _ afterwards  _ as a reward, but Lexa reasoned the movie would serve as a perfect distraction to keep the kids from recalling that their afternoon nap had been replaced by their impending appointment instead. Aden was getting better at it, but Anya  _ hated  _ them. She hadn’t even needed a shot at the last visit, and she still managed to make the nurses temporarily lose their hearing for a few hours following her check-up. This was necessary. 

Lexa had invited Raven along as well to get her out of “that goddamn lab,” treating her to a free screening of Beauty and the Beast alongside her favorite Griffin-Woods member… and Lexa. The little tike only wanted to share her box of gummies with Raven, while Clarke and Aden indulged themselves in a bucket of popcorn soaked in a terrifying amount of butter. Lexa was simply content in a small packet of trail mix.  

“Love, can you watch the kids?” Lexa requested once the film had ended, nodding her head towards the women’s restroom. 

“Actually…” The blonde fidgeted and Lexa realized their bodies had the same calling. “Raven?” 

“Sure,” the Latina waved them off, “Chico, Chiquita, ven aqui.” Raven beckoned, swooping Anya onto her hip, readjusting the new weight on her good leg as she held out her hand expectantly for Aden. When both children were securely with their pseudo-guardian the couple made their way to the bathroom.

Noticing how much her wife was shifting from one foot to the other as they waited in line, Lexa pushed her in front of her.

“You go first.” Lexa gestured to the only available stall, allowing her wife to dash in while she waited in the queue for the next opening. Clarke placed a salty kiss on her lips before spriting away, slamming the flimsy door in her haste. Lexa bit the inside of her cheek to hide her laughter, equating it to a result of her wife’s insistence upon ordering large soda to pair along with her overindulgence in salty snacks.

They both paused behind the door after washing their hands, taking advantage of the smallest amount of privacy as the bathroom cleared out. Lexa dried her hands with a paper towel before retrieving a new one from the dispenser, taking her time to delicately pat down her wife’s with the utmost care. When she had finished, she placed a tender kiss to her knuckles - the hands that molded intricate pottery, painted breathtaking landscapes, and most beautifully; held all of her love for her heart and children. She let their hands drop between them, but refused to let go. It probably far too intimate for a public movie theater bathroom, but she couldn’t help the way her heart still fluttered whenever she and Clarke shared moments like this. Ceruleans orbs were looking back at her with adoration and the two leaned in for a soft kiss. The brunette let her eyes flutter closed as she brushed her nose gently over Clarke’s.

“You taste like popcorn.” Lexa noted with a smile.

“You like it.” Her wife replied with confidence.

Lexa grimaced teasingly. “Nah. I think I actually prefer sweet over salty.”

“Really?” Clarke dared, leaning in closer. “Are you sure?” 

Her resolve was quickly wavering and it only took a few measly seconds for her gaze to drift back down to her wife’s waiting lips. “Insatiable.” Lexa whispered before moving to close the distance between them.  

“Hmm.” Clarke purred, molding into her. “I didn’t hear any complaints last night.” She breathed against her mouth.

“Too busy with other things.” Lexa smiled, deepening the kiss, expertly running her tongue along her wife’s bottom lip. Clarke eagerly granted her access, and Lexa basked in the  _ delicious  _ mix of buttery popcorn and her wife’s sweet smile. She felt like a teenager again, sneaking off to the bathroom to makeout with her girlfriend. Except this was even better, because she had been lucky enough to marry that same girlfriend. 

“Mmm.” The blonde groaned, pressing softly against the brunette’s shoulders. “We can’t.” She pulled away with a reluctant final peck. “If you…” Clarke took a moment to catch her breath. “We’re going to be late if we don’t stop.” 

Lexa smirked. “You started it.” She took Clarke’s hands in hers again, kissing each knuckle.

“No way. You definitely did.” Clarke reprimanded. “And you’re doing it again!” 

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.” Lexa retorted. “You were the one who started it. Eight years ago when you decided to get on your knees and begged to get me out of my clothes.”

The blonde rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t like that and you know it!” 

“I know.” Lexa grinned. “I just like getting you riled up.” 

“Oh, just you wait until  _ I  _ get  _ you  _ riled up tonight. We’ll see who’s the one begging then.” Clarke challenged, quickly turning to exit the bathroom with a final sway of her hips, which Lexa knew was a purposeful show for her.

She laughed in endearment as she followed her incredibly sassy, attractive wife. to reunite with their children. She paused, slipping her hand into Clarke’s as the married women took in the sight of them. Anya was squealing in delight in Raven’s arms while Aden was concentrated at the claw machine, tongue poking out between his lips and his eyes narrowed. Lexa wasn’t sure where Aden had gotten the quarters fund his endeavors, but she had an inclination - an inclination known as the Bank of Reyes. 

She turned her attention to the youngest who continued to squeal. Every time her godmother flicked the tiny ponytail sticking up from atop her head, the little one would giggle, patting Raven’s cheeks with both hands and request “again!”  Raven would pull a face, sighing with feigned exasperation until Anya ducked her head down, shaking it as she willed Raven to continue. Then, with playful reluctance, the Latina would flick the bobble again embellishing the action with sloppy “blalalala” sound effects. It would immediately bring about another round of giggles.

Her heart skipped and she felt Clarke’s grip tighten in her hands. She didn’t have to look to know that her wife was feeling the same swell of emotions. How lucky they were to have such a beautiful family and such wonderful friends. She let them play just for a second longer before rounding up the crew and buckling them into their car seats. 

The drive wasn’t too far, but with the construction up ahead, they were cutting in close. Raven had offered to come along to the pediatrics, instead of having to get dropped off, saving them precious minutes as they sat in DC traffic. 

“I liked Belle.” Aden chirped from the backseat. “She’s smart like Auntie Raven.” 

Lexa to chanced a glance over at her best friend, who, up until now had been slouching in the passenger’s seat with her leg outstretched. Her knee was irritating her, but she remained stoic as ever. It was something Lexa admired about her friend. 

At the compliment, Raven straightened and Lexa noticed that her cheeks were tinted pink. “Oh, uhh,” The Latina ducked her head bashfully. 

Lexa bit back her laughter. She could tell Raven was torn between some sort of cocky reply and blushing humbly. Luckily, Clarke broke the silence. 

“What are we? Chopped liver?” Her wife, who had offered to sit in back with the kids to give Raven a chance to stretch, gave his hair a playful tussle. Lexa met her gaze, sharing a tender moment through the rearview mirror. 

“No, you’re mommies.” Aden said matter-of-factly. 

“That we are.” Lexa chuckled, nodding at her son’s simple reply. “Alright, what about you, Little Imp? Who was your favorite character?” She decided to take their minds off the delay, and hopefully from realizing where exactly they were headed. 

“I know yours.” Her daughter replied instead, eyes trained out the window as she observantly took in their surroundings. 

“Do you?” Lexa feigned surprise. “And who was that?”

“ _Lumière_ ,” Anya answered easily, pointing her finger to track a plane flying overhead.

“And why do you think that?” The brunette entertained, pulling her daughter’s attention back to the confines of the car.

“Because he’s a candle.” Her daughter replied as it if were obvious, turning back to the plane as it grew smaller and smaller.

Raven snorted before erupting into a cackling fit. 

Lexa shot her a glare.

“I agree, Gidget.”  Raven turned to the speak over her shoulder. “Your mama is absolutely obsessed with candles. Good job!”

Lexa looked to her wife to come to her defense, jaw dropping as she noticed that Clarke was muffling her own laughter behind her hand. “Traitor!” She mouthed into the rearview with rosy cheeks. 

The blonde shrugged, cheekily blowing her a kiss in response. Her heart leaped, shooting out of her chest just as rapidly as the car that had materialized from her blind spot to cut them off. 

“Lexa!” Raven shouted just in time for Lexa to jerk the car quickly into the next lane to avoid clipping the passenger side of the vehicle. Her blood came to a boil, fist colliding with the car horn. 

“Watch it,  _ asshole _ !” She roared, flipping her middle finger up at the car that was swerving dangerously through the traffic. “That  _ fucking  _ piece of…”

The harshness in her tone and the sudden sharp spin of the car caused Anya to burst into a fit of tears. Aden sat wide-eyed in shock, grasping onto the restraints of his car seat.

“Alexandria!” Clarke shouted from the behind her. “Language!” 

Lexa growled, gripping the wheel tightly as she inhaled. She hadn’t meant to lose her temper. But this was her family and best friend’s lives put at risk. She was protective. Protective… and fuming.

“I’m sorry, love.” She gritted her teeth, allowing the color to return to her previously white knuckles. “Anya, baby, I’m sorry for yelling.” She apologized, craning her neck to try and catch her daughter’s attention in the mirror, but Anya was too startled, still shrieking as she flailed in her car seat, despite Clarke’s attempts at calming their daughter. Lexa’s heart ached. She wanted nothing more than to turn and extract her from her seat, pulling her into her chest. But she had to stay focused on the road ahead.

“Shh, An. It’s okay.” Clarke cooed. “Don’t be scared. Mama didn’t mean it. She just wanted you to be safe.” 

“Come on, Gidget. It’s alright.” Raven attempted to soothe, twisting as far as her seatbelt would allow so she could run a hand over Anya’s knees while her daughter kicked in distress. At her touch, Anya immediately started to wriggle her arms from her restraints, reaching outwards towards Raven as her fingers curled and uncurled. 

“No, no!” Her godmother reproached. “An, you have to stay in your seat. Please, Muñeca!” 

Anya wailed crying out her name and Raven looked helplessly at her anxious goddaughter. Lexa knew she was having the same urges to hold the girl as well, features twisting in pain. 

Finally a quiet hero reached out his little hand, grasping his sister’s hesitantly within his own. “It...It’s okay, An.” Aden assured meekly. He gave her a small smile and nodded in encouragement. “It’s okay, Anya.” He repeated, stronger this time. And to everyone’s astonishment, the little one quieted, still whimpering but far less frantic as before. 

Clarke withdrew a tissue from her purse and gently began to dab at the tears littering her daughter’s face and shirt while Aden held Anya’s hand the rest of the drive, only releasing when they finally pulled into the parking lot. 

“You want to come with us?” Lexa asked as she put the SUV in park, surveying Raven’s leg. She didn’t address it out loud, not wanting to wound Raven’s pride. She knew the Latina would have none of it. 

“Go ahead.” She waved her off. “I have a couple of emails I can take care of in the meantime.” 

“Okay.” Lexa replied as she rolled down the windows and handed over the keys, ignoring the way Raven subtly kneaded at the irritated area underneath her brace. “Don’t push yourself too hard. If you want to take a break, it’s the first door on the left.”

Her best friend gave her a grateful smile, shooting a wink to the Griffin-Woods children and Clarke as they journeyed inside.

Their pediatrician was named Dr. Jackson, a long-time friend of their her mother-in-law’s and had been a personal recommendation after having studied under Abby for the entirety of his undergraduate and graduate career. 

When the couple stepped into the office, the receptionists greeted them with warm smiles and friendly waves to their children. Aden, with his hand in Clarke’s, took his seat next to his mother in the waiting area. Anya was a little more difficult to corral. When she had realized where their final destination was, the youngest began exhibiting signs of trepidation, hiding behind her family as they stepped through the door. While Lexa checked in, Anya resorted to clinging to her legs, tucking herself into Lexa and burying her face into Lexa’s thighs.

“It’s good to see you again.” Dr. Jackson grinned as he came to retrieve them from the waiting room. “Which one of you would like to go first?”

“I… I’ll go.” Aden volunteered, though Lexa could see the way he shook slightly as he stood. She watched as her son straightened his shirt before tilting his chin upwards, plastering on a brave face. She gave him an encouraging smile as she bent to scoop Anya into her arms, ready to follow. The youngest one, already nervous, began to whine. 

“It’s okay, Mama.” Aden placed a hand on her forearm. “I can just go with Mommy. You can stay with Anya.” He offered considerately. 

Their boy was so selfless. Lexa felt her eyes tearing up as she watched her son cupped his sister’s face in his tiny hands, placing a kiss on her head before holding out a hand for Clarke to take, leading them as they followed the doctor through the door.

She did her best not to let her own nerves affect her daughter as she placed in her front of the small arrangement of toys in the corner. It worked to distract her for the few minutes before it was her own turn. Twenty minutes later, Aden was out of the office with sporting a dinosaur sticker proudly on his shirt.

“How did it go?” She asked Clarke as they approached.

“Good. Really good.” Clarke replied, her eyes flitting over to their daughter who was still enthralled with maneuvering a small toy train over a set of plastic tracks around a brightly covered table. She braced herself as she stood, placing a kiss atop Aden’s strawberry blonde hair. 

“I’m so proud of you, my brave boy.” Lexa whispered.

And though Clarke wasn’t the one getting a shot, she placed an unnecessary, but not unwelcome kiss on her wife’s cheek as well. 

“Anya, my love.” Lexa began gently. “Are you ready to go see Dr. Jackson?” 

“No!” Her daughter frowned.

“But look at the cool dinosaur sticker Aden got. Don’t you want one of those?” Clarke eased. “Monkey, show your sister your sticker.” 

Aden stepped forward, poking his chest for good measure. “It’s a triceratops.” He explained.

“No!” Anya stomped her foot, throwing the train in the direction of the doctor. Her aim veered to the right, but the implication was still rather clear as it collided onto the ground, the three chained carts coming apart and scattering around the room. 

“Anya Isabelle!” Clarke barked. “You apologize to Dr. Jackson right now.” 

“I don’t wanna!” Anya defied. 

“Would you like me to give you a minute?” Dr. Jackson offered. “I do remember your last visit.” He pointed out. “Take as much time as you need.”

Lexa sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I do apologize. For then, and now.” She began to make her way around the room, collecting the pieces while their daughter fumbled her way to the opposite side of the room to get as far away from the doctor as possible.

“No need.” He smiled in kind. “You’d be surprised. I’ve had much worse.”

As he spoke, another family walked into the room, the father holding the door open for his twins and pregnant wife. Her daughter took the opportunity to bolt through their legs, slipping out and towards the parking lot.

“Anya!” Lexa gasped. “Clarke, watch Aden!” Her mama-bear instincts triggered. She practically collided with a pregnant woman as she attempted to slide past them. “Sorry! I’m so so sorry!” She apologized. 

“Anya! Stop!” She called after her daughter. She watched in horror as a car rounded the corner. Lexa felt like everything was going in slow motion as Anya rushed as quickly as her nearly-three-year-old legs would carry her, just about to cross over to where her godmother sat, typing vigorously onto her phone, directly in line of the approaching vehicle.

“Raven! Raven!” Anya screeched. At that the engineer immediately lifted her gaze, eyes widening as she swung the car door open in reflex.

“No! Gidget, stop!” She called. “Parking lot! Stay there!” Raven lectured halting the toddling rebel as she exited the SUV in haste.

Lexa let out a breath of relief when her daughter stopped obediently, her purple velcro sneakers balanced precariously on the curve, allowing Lexa to catch her at the last minute, drawing her into her body.  

She wanted to scream, yell, shout, lecture the little one for hours. But all she could do was cradle the girl’s head into her chest and release a sigh of relief. If Lexa was ever going to have a heart attack in her late twenties/early thirties, it would definitely be due to Anya.

“Hey,” Raven limped over, placing a hand on Lexa’s shoulder. The brace made it so she was unable to crouch down with them, but her palm emitted the physical and emotional support she needed. “What happened in there?”

“I don’t wanna!” Anya pouted, completely unfazed by the palpitations she just caused to the entire group of adults. 

“Gidget…” Raven cooed, holding out her arms. Anya raised her own and Lexa watched as the godmother grit her teeth, pushing through the pain to lift her onto her hip. She looked to Lexa for an explanation while Anya tucked her head into the crook of Raven’s neck.

“She scared of getting S-H-O-T-S.” Lexa whispered. 

“Ahh.” Raven softened, rubbing Anya’s back as they slowly progressed back inside. “Is she due for one?” 

“Two.” Lexa sighed.

“Let me handle this.” The godmother offered. Lexa nodded reluctantly as she held open the door, meeting her wife’s worried gaze with an exhausted smile and a shake of her head. She plopped into the chair next to Clarke as the blonde woman studied her. 

“Caught her before she ran into the street.” Lexa deflated, slumping into her chair. 

Aden sauntered cautiously over to his mother with timid eyes. 

“It’s okay, Monkey. Come on.” She pat her thighs and the pre-schooler crawled into her lap. 

He placed a slobbery kiss to her cheek, seeming to read the tension in the room, even though he may not have fully understood it. 

The family that had witnessed the display offered a sympathetic smile before getting called in for their own appointment. 

“Who’s this?” Dr. Jackson asked, addressing the new addition to the group. 

“Raven Reyes, godmother to this one.” She tilted her head at the trembling child in her arms. “And the answer to all your prayers.”

The doctor raised a brow before looking to the wives. They both nodded in confirmation. 

“Okay, well Ms. Reyes, would you like to take Anya in?” 

“Come on Gidget. You’re my little fighter, right?” Raven encouraged. “Let’s kick these shots in the butt.” 

Big brown eyes widened in alarm at the word before burrowing even tighter into Raven’s neck, shaking her head. 

“Raven…” Lexa hurried as Anya began whimpering a round of “no’s.” 

“Shh, Chiquita. It’s okay.” Raven hushed, continuing to run her palm over the girl’s back. “Come on!” She bounced her shoulder, causing Anya to raise her head.

Raven smiled brightly back at her goddaughter. “A tiny little shot doesn’t  _ really  _ scare you, does it?” She entertained. “Not someone like Anya! You’ve my big brave Gidget!” She praised. 

Anya sniffled. 

“Come on, let’s put on our fighting face.”  She encouraged. “Can you make a fist with me?” She shifted slightly to free her hand, clenching it into a fist so that Anya could see. 

After following the instruction, Raven grinned.  “That’s my girl! Let’s see a punch!” She made a quick jab at the air. Anya copied the action, tiny fist mimicking her movements. 

“Again!” Raven motivated.

Lexa and Clarke watched curiously as their daughter followed the action once again.

“Attagirl! That’s my Anya!” Raven cheered and a smile slowly spread over the tiny Asian’s face. “Now keep those arms out and fists nice and tight. We’re going to battle!” She exaggerated, nodding subtly to the doctor. 

She kept her antics up until they hobbled through the door with Dr. Jackson taking the lead. 

They waited - Clarke, with bated breath, and Lexa chewing on the inside of her lip as Aden wriggled in her grasp until she realized he was trying to reach into his pocket. She loosened her grip, allowing him to reach into his pocket to withdraw a small wrapped lollipop. 

“For Mama?” He held the sucker out, eyebrows stitched together. 

“No thank you, Adey.” Lexa smiled, softening her gaze as she kissed his cheek. “You should have it. You earned it.” 

Aden hesitated.

“Go on.” She urged. “It’s okay.” She unwrapped the candy, holding it out for her son. His eyes darted between each of his parents then back to the treat.

“It’s okay, Monkey.” Clarke nodded. “Go ahead.” 

With that, he poked his tongue out, tip touching the sugary substance as he grinned. Lexa hummed, relaxing slightly. She felt Clarke entwining their fingers, squeezing tightly as they waited for the shrill crying, the protesting kicking, and dreaded screams. But they never came.

Fifteen minutes passed and the door swung open. Raven stood in the doorway with the smuggest grin. She pointed her fingers into a gun, winking at the couple. “Boom! Piece of cake.” 

The two wives looked to each other in surprise.

From around her legs, Anya emerged with a lollipop in her hand and a bandaid on each arm. “Boom! Piece of cake!” She parroted, following Raven’s lead. Aden hopped off Lexa’s lap to conspire about lollipop flavors with his sister as the couple watched in astonishment. 

“W-what? How?” Lexa gaped.

Raven smirked, silently pulling a small piece of paper from her back pocket, peeling off the backing before placing the tyrannosaurus sticker on Lexa’s forehead. “Don’t worry about it Tyrannosaurus-Lex.” 

Lexa narrowed her gaze, but was frankly too in awe to put up a fight in protest.

\---

Clarke knocked impatiently as she waited for Raven to hobble over to the door. She had woken up to her wife’s heavy breathing, so hard that it could potentially be classified as snoring. But Lexa had downed a couple of Dayquil pills and gone to work insisting that she couldn’t miss. Always the dedicated lawyer. 

When Clarke checked her phone during her lunch break, she had a voicemail from her wife stating that she would be crashing somewhere else for a few days to avoid contaminating the house, and that she had arranged for the kids to be picked up by Octavia and Lincoln. Clarke’s eyes practically rolled to the back of her head when she called her wife back, arguing that she was overreacting. 

**“** Reyes, I know Lexa is in there.” The blonde placed her hands on her hips. “Raven, where is my wife?” 

The lock clicked and the door swung open and she was met with chocolate orbs filled with relief. 

“ _ Please _ take this dramatic hoe away.” Raven pleaded with exasperation. “Lexa is being  _ extra  _ Lextra right now.” 

Clarke marched inside, eyes landing on her wife curled under a blanket on the engineer’s couch, a box of tissues to her side and a scarf around her neck. “How are you feeling?” She mused, quirking a brow as she rounded the coffee table, seating herself directly in front of her wife. 

“Clarke!” Green eyes widened in alarm. “Stay away! I can’t get you sick too. If you’re sick the kids…”

“The kids will be fine.” Clarke reasoned, scooting closer. “Lexa, come home.”

“I can’t, Clarke.” Lexa frowned pitifully. “I can’t risk getting them sick too.”

Clarke snorted. “So you’d rather get Raven sick?”

“Raven can handle herself.” Her wife defended, dismissing her reasoning.

“Hey!” The Latina resented. The two ignored her sounds of protest. 

“Lex, a cold is not the end of the world.” Clarke assured. “Come home.”

Lexa made to protest but coughed instead. 

“See! One cough could lead to the flu. And that could develop into tuberculosis!” Lexa deduced - irrationally, might Clarke add. “And then it could lead to death!”

Clarke resisted the urge to facepalm herself in the forehead. “Do you ever talk about anything other than your death?”

“Clarke!” Lexa whined.

“Come on! I miss you.” The blonde jut her bottom lip outwards at her hypochondriac of a wife. “And the kids miss you too. Don’t you miss them?”

She could see the conflict etched across her wife’s face. “Of course I do, but I can’t take care of them if…”

“Then let us take care of you.” Clarke insisted, already tugging Lexa to her feet, pecking her wife on the cheek as the blanket slid down her shoulders, bunching up as it landed on the cushions behind them. 

“But, Clarke-”

“Who’s the doctor here?” She pressed. 

“None of us.” Lexa chided. At least she still had the energy for humor. That was a good sign. “You dropped it your first semester.”

Clarke rolled her eyes. “Fine, who’s the one with a mom who’s a doctor? If you’re really so worried, we can get a professional opinion.” 

Lexa sighed in defeat. 

“Sorry about all this, Ray.” She apologized to the brunette sitting on the opposite end of the couch, witnessing the entire exchange. 

“It’s whatever.” The Latina brushed off with a shrug. “Just don’t get my favorite family member sick.” 

“We won’t.” Clarke assured. 

The two returned to their residence just a few minutes before Lincoln and Octavia stopped by with their children. Anya was the first to burst through the door, shouting a “Mommy,” followed by Aden. She waved the couple off with a thank you just as the two barreled into her arms. It took a moment before noticing that their fourth family member was not coming to greet them. 

It was Anya who spoke up.

“Mommy?” 

“Yes, honey?”

“Where’s Mama?” 

“She’s upstairs sleeping.” 

Clarke observed the smile fall from her daughter’s face. 

“What’s the matter, Little Imp?”

“Is… Is Mama mad at us?” Her daughter asked carefully. 

“What? No!” she assured. “What made you think that?”

“She didn’t want to see us.” Anya bowed her head. “And she didn’t give us kisses.”

“Oh sweetie, no.” Clarke placed her arms around her daughter. “Mama wasn’t feeling well this morning.” 

“Is she sick?” Aden asked. 

“Yeah, baby.” Clarke nodded sadly. “She’s sick.”

“Is there anything we can do to make her feel better?” He inquired. 

Clarke smiled, running her fingers through his hair to brush his bangs from his eyes. “Of course, honey. What do you say we can let Mama nap while we dinner? Then we can bring it to her upstairs.”

Two small heads bobbed up and down eagerly.

“Alright. Go wash your hands and we can get started.” She clapped and the two were off like rockets, racing towards the bathroom sink. 

She could hear them clambering on the step stool, followed by the running of the faucet. Clarke could just barely make out the sound of Anya singing her ABC’s, approximately thirty seconds, enough to time to properly rid her hands bacteria and germs. 

When they returned, Clarke carefully lifted two chairs over to the counter, taking caution not to drag them across the kitchen tiles in an attempt to keep quiet and allow her wife to rest. She let Aden practice counting out ingredients while Anya picked out the proper colored peppers for Clarke to slice. 

Somehow, amidst their cooking, they had broken into joyful laughter, her children squealing and giggling in delight. Clarke had gotten so wrapped up in their happiness that she didn’t even realize how loud they were being until a coughing fit from down the hall brought them to a pause. 

“Mama!” Aden grinned, rushing towards Lexa and the tissue box tucked under her arm. When Lexa stiffened he straightened as well, skidding to a stop with wary eyes. “Mama?” He asked tentatively. “Can we hug you?”

Clarke could see the worry in her wife’s expression. The silence was immediately broken by the long drawl of wood scraping against the floor. All residents turned to find Anya, dragging a chair twice her size out from under the table.  

“Sit, Mama!” Anya bounced eagerly on the balls of her feet. “We made dinner!”

Clarke bit back a laugh as she tilted her chin to the kitchen chair that Anya had crookedly pulled. 

“Thank you, An.” Lexa croaked, her voice raspy and throat irritated.

“Mama?” Anya tilted her head as Lexa settled in. She hoisted herself up into the chair next to her mother, kneeling as she sat back on her heels. 

“Yes, love?” Lexa directed her attention to the curious child.

“You sound funny.” Anya stated bluntly.

Lexa let out a wheezy laugh, coughing slightly. “I do, don’t I?”

Anya giggled. “You sound like this!” She pinched her nose between her thumb and index finger. “I like it.”

“Well thank you, love.” The brunette chuckled. “I’m glad.”

Clarke took the moment to bring the dishes to the table, setting utensils atop each placemat. “How are you feeling, babe?” She pressed her lips into Lexa’s slightly damp hairline. 

“Ehh.” 

She saw the way her children’s expressions fell and quickly backtracked. “But I’m feeling much, much better now. Thanks to you two.” She looked gratefully at her children.

Clarke gave her a light pinch to the arm. 

“And you, of course.” The brunette smiled lazily as she gazed up at Clarke. Her green eyes were weary, but still managed to shine beautifully as she spoke, “Always you.” 

A week later, Clarke was stuck in bed, curled under the sheets with her trusty tissue box at her side. 

“I warned you.” Lexa sighed as she continued to dote, running her fingers gently along Clarke’s temple.

“Ugh.” Clarke groaned, head pounding as she rolled to flop her arm lazily over Lexa’s waist. “Always you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sidenote: Does anyone want this to be fluff and smut or just fluff?


	5. Man (Woman's) Best Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clexa gets a dog. Thus... here are some of their adventures with Fish.

Lexa was exhausted by the time she dragged her feet up the stairs, pausing at the front door. She sighed, withdrawing her keys from her briefcase. Of all the days to have to stay late at the office. At this point, all she wanted was to get out of this irritating pencil skirt, switch into some sweatpants, and enjoy a nice, quiet night in with her wife and kids. Hell, she wouldn’t even be upset if there wasn’t a cake or any fancy celebration. She’d actually prefer it. A simple group cuddle session with her family would more than suffice at this... 

“What is  _ that _ ?” Her eyes widened at the sight in front of her, keys clambering to the floor with a jingle. 

Then silence. 

“It’s a dog, Lexa. You know what a dog is.” Her best friend shrugged, scratching behind the canine’s ear. The furry creature panted excitedly, tail thumping against Raven’s brace.    
  
Lexa looked around baffled. Her wife was nowhere to be found and neither of her children were in sight. What was going on?

A bark pulled her from her thoughts. 

“I know that!” Lexa rolled her eyes. “What is it doing in my house?”

She instantly regretted asking when she caught sight of the the sheepish twinkle in Raven’s eye. 

“He’s yours.” Her friend stated matter-of-factly. 

“What?” Lexa’s jaw dropped. “Since when?”

“Since an hour ago when I walked in with him. Come on, Lex.” Raven snapped her fingers for emphasis. “Try and keep up.”

“But I didn’t-” 

Just as she made to protest, the pattering of feet thundered down the stairs. Her children barreled into her holding a large poster board with half-dry glitter and construction paper glued to its surface.

_ Happy Birthday, Lex(tra) _

“Happy birthday, Mama!” The two chorused, offering up their sign.

“We made this.” Anya announced, proudly.

“Mommy and Raven helped too.” Aden added before plopping at her feet. The puppy, now aware of the new arrivals, bounced happily between the trio while Lexa stood dumbfounded with the sign clutched in her hand.

“Thank you, sweeties. It’s beautiful.” She cleared her throat, surveying their work. 

She immediately recognized the handwriting to be her wife’s, with the exception of the last three letters in parenthesis, which were obviously Raven’s doing. There was a scribbled mess in the top left corner, which she could only attribute to Anya, and another set of blobs with lines sprouting from them - one yellow, one orange, one green, and one blue. She could only assume they were the family. Off to the side were similar blobs - Octavia, Lincoln, Raven, Abby, and Jake - she supposed. 

She smiled fondly at her kids, who had turned their attention to the puppy sliding on the hardwood floor. 

“Thank you. I love it.” She praised again, setting the poster to the side. “Where’s Mommy?” 

“Getting the cake.” Anya chirped distractedly, index finger extended as she tried to follow the wag of the puppy’s tail.

“Anya!” Aden gave his sister a shove with his elbow, resulting the deadliest glower a preschooler could possibly muster.  “You ruined the surprise!” he hissed.

As if the cake was the biggest surprise she had to deal with at the moment.

“Aden, don’t shove your sister.” Lexa scolded half-heartedly, still too taken aback with the fact that there was a six week old puppy in her foyer, licking at her daughter’s fingers. 

“Did she say when she’d be back?”

The youngest immediately cupped both hands over her mouth, shaking her head vigorously. Hands, that were also coated in dog slobber. 

Lexa sighed, turning to the only other responsible, or maybe semi-responsible, adult around.

“She left about an hour ago. I am prohibited from saying more.” Raven glanced down at her watch while the pup nibbled at the toe of her boot. “Though she should be back in the next few-”

The door swung open to reveal her beautiful wife with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a cake box in the other. Lexa couldn’t help but beam at the sight of her. 

“What is  _ that _ ?” Clarke’s jaw dropped as Lexa experienced a flash of deja vu. 

“You mean you didn’t know?” The brunette inquired, before both wives turned to glare at Raven.

“And…” The Latina stumbled abruptly to her feet. “Now would be my cue to leave! Happy birthday, Lextra! I hope you-”

“Absolutely not.” Lexa caught her by the collar, tugging her back inside as Clarke kicked the door shut with her foot, setting the flowers and cake on the table.

“Adey, An, why don’t you two go outside for a minute?” Clarke suggested.

“Can we bring the doggie?” Aden immediately turned to ask the bigger pushover of the two.

“No, you can’t bring-” One glance at the children’s doe eyes and Lexa had caved. “Fine. Probably safer for it to be out there anyway. The last thing I need is to end my birthday on my hands and knees cleaning up a mess.”  

Raven waited for children to be out of earshot before speaking. “Oh, I’m sure Clarke could give you a reason to do that.” She wiggled a brow suggestively. 

Lexa growled.

“Okay, okay. I see the surprise has worn off.”

“A dog, Raven?” Lexa threw her hands in air.  “What were you thinking?” 

“I was  _ thinking _ I wanted to get a nice present for my best friend that she and her entire family could enjoy.” The engineer smiled much-too innocently. 

“You couldn’t just give us a gift card to Olive Garden or something?” Clarke chimed in, placing her hands on her hips. 

“Well, where’s the fun in that?” Raven retorted. “Besides, this is a gift that just keeps on giving.”

“Yeah,” Lexa stooped over to pick up a small patch of fur the pup had shed, “clearly.”

“Look, Ray, I know that somewhere deep down - way,  _ way _ down, you meant well by this. But a puppy is just too much. You should have consulted us first - or at least with  _ me  _ if you wanted to keep it a surprise from Lex.” Clarke added as an afterthought. She pinched at the bridge of her nose. “We don’t have the time or the resources right now. We appreciate the sentiment, but it's just not possible. Lex, back me up here.”

“I…” Lexa hesitated. 

She had meant to agree, whole-heartedly, she had meant to agree with every single word that came out of her wife’s mouth. But she made the mistake of glancing out the window, heart melting instantly at the sight of her children giggling with laughter as they chased the puppy around the yard, squealing with delight. How could she take him away from them?

“Oh, no. I know that look. Alexandria Griffin-Woods, don’t even think about it.” Clarke held fast. “Just because it’s your birthday, doesn’t mean that we can rash about-”

“Clarke, look at them. Just-” She took hold of her wife’s shoulders, pivoting her towards the window. “ _ Look. _ ”

“Looking isn’t going to-” The blonde’s breath hitched and Lexa felt her muscles stiffen under the warmth of her palms as she sniffled.

“Love?” Lexa prompted gently. “Are you okay?”

“ _ Fuck _ ,” Clarke whispered, “Babe?”

“Yes?”

“We need to start coming up with dog names.” 

\---

They ended up naming him “Fish” as a tribute to the “dog that brought them together.” Clarke had burst into hysterics when Aden had suggested it, while Lexa’s face flushed with regret. Leave it to their son to appreciate true sentiment. 

Now here she was, headed home after taking their pup in for his annual checkup, looking over the paperwork for “Fish Griffin-Woods” with a snort. 

The vet had explained that the pooch was at risk of being overweight and that proper diet and exercise would be critical in maintaining his health. The walks would serve to benefit Fish, as well as the rest family, allowing them to spend quality time together while also exerting some energy. She was also advised to cut back on the treats, and absolutely no more human food.  

“How was it?” Lexa asked as she stepped through the door, greeting her with a kiss and a brush of their noses. Clarke allowed her eyes to flutter shut, taking a moment just to themselves. With Lexa moving up the firm and Clarke’s gallery exhibits gaining more publicity, it was getting more and more difficult for them to find time alone. Not that she minded. She was proud of their success and juggling responsibilities between work and family was never an issue. But still there was something about the delicate touch of her wife’s skin against her own that she couldn’t resist revelling in. 

“Clarke?” Lexa chuckled.

“Hmm?”

“I asked how the visit went.” Her wife repeated before placing a final kiss on her nose and stepping back. 

Clarke blinked a few times, shaking her head. She kneeled to remove Fish’s leash and collar, giving him a scratch behind the ears. He wiggled happily, shaking out his fur before scampering off. 

“Actually, about that.” Clarke held out a finger.  “Kids, can you come downstairs, please?” 

“Uhh-oh.” Lexa worried a lip. “Everything okay?”

“Mommy’s home!” Aden shouted.

“Fishy’s home!” Anya added.

“I see where the loyalties lie.” Clarke laughed, scooping up the youngest and blowing raspberries onto her cheek, causing her to squirm.

“Mommy’s home!” Anya amended.

“Much better.” She laughed, before recalling why she had called them down in the first place. “Kids, take a seat.” She gestured to the couch. Fish rounded the corner, hopping up to join them as he wiggled his way between their two children, his rear resting half on Aden’s lap, while his paws and head rested on Anya’s. 

“Do you know where I took Fish today?” She began. The dog’s ears twitched at the the sound of his name as he tilted his head in confusion. 

“The animal doctor.” Anya answered.

“Right. I took Fish to the vet.” She schooled her expression to the utmost serious, pausing for just long enough to bring attention to her children. 

“Is something wrong with Fish?”  Aden asked warily.

“Fish’s doctor warned me that Fish is getting overweight. We need to stop feeding him so many treats or he could get  _ sick _ .”

Anya gasped, flinging both arms tightly around the dog’s neck. 

“And that includes human food.” The blonde added, waiting for someone’s resolve to crack. “Now, we talked about this. I’ve told you both many times before. No feeding the dog our food. Dogs need to eat dog food. Understood?” 

The two nodded solemnly.

“So, which one of you has been feeding Fish under the table?” 

She cocked a brow at her daughter, knowing how sneaky she could be. “An? Have you been feeding Fish your veggies again?”

“No, Mommy.” She shook her head vehemently. 

“Aden?”

“Not me either, Mommy.” Her son promised. 

She narrowed her gaze between the two. One of them wasn’t telling the truth.

“What did we say about lying?”

“We’re not, Mommy!” Aden insisted.

“Promise!” Anya nodded.

She turned to Lexa for assistance, only to find her wife’s cheeks flushed scarlet and her eyes trained to the ground. Then it clicked. 

“It was you?” She watched her wife bite her lip guiltily with a blush.

“I couldn’t help it!  _ Look  _ at him!” Her wife cooed. “How can you resist the eyes?”

Clarke rolled her eyes, dismissing the children and Fish to the backyard.

The blonde sighed. “How am I supposed to discipline my own wife?”

“You don’t?” The brunette took a step closer, wrapping her arms around Clarke’s waist, fingertips sliding under the edges of the blonde’s shirt. “What do you say we forget any of this happened?” She purred. 

Clarke gave her a light smack to the rear. “Oh, no! You’re not getting off that easy.” 

“I mean, I wouldn’t mind a little punishment either.” Her wife husked, ducking to press a kiss to her neck as she pressed their bodies together. Clarke couldn’t help but release a moan in response. 

“You’re ridiculous.” She berated, but her body was already responding of its own accord, hips bucking as she grinded forward.

“Does that mean I’m forgiven?” Her wife whispered while sliding her hands up Clarke’s stomach, lips hovering just millimeters from Clarke’s own.

“Mmm,” Clarke gasped as Lexa cupped her chest. “Okay, maybe just for now.” 

“I can live with that.” Lexa smiled when she finally pressed forward, connecting their lips. 

\---

The brunette groaned. Why did she think it was a good idea to plant so many  _ maple  _ trees? It was tedious enough as it was to rake up the leaves the first time, but to have to constantly backtrack and redo each pile was getting frustrating. 

She ran a hand over her face with a groan.

“Fish! No!” She scolded, watching helplessly as their dog crashed through the pile she had just finished raking, two shouting children following quickly behind. It was cute the first time, and maybe even the second, but after the fourth, Lexa was growing irritated.

“Kids! Stop letting Fish run through the leaves!” 

“We’re trying, Mama!” Aden apologized through his laughter, arms outstretched as Fish averted his path, quickly pivoting around in a large U-Turn, practically running Lexa over in his attempt to get away. 

“Fish! Come!” Anya called, patting her legs from across the yard. Lexa cringed, watching it all play out in slow motion - Fish running across the yard with no regard for her work, coursing straight through while leaves kicked up behind him.

“ _ Damnit.”  _ She muttered under her breath, inhaling sharply to calm herself. Her patience was rapidly deteriorating.

“Shh.” She felt a pair of hands snaking around her waist, instantly deflating at the familiar sensation of her wife’s comforting touch. 

Lexa immediately turned, burying her face into the soft scarf around Clarke’s neck, releasing a petulant huff.

“So,” Clarke sing-songed, “how’s raking going?”

“I think you know.” She grumbled in reply.

“I do know.” Her wife chuckled, fingers wrapping gently around Lexa’s clenched fist as she pried the rake away. “Here, babe. Let me,” she offered, kissing Lexa’s temple. 

“But you’re supposed to be making dinner.” She protested.

“So then switch chores with me. No big deal.” Clarke shrugged, “Besides, the colors might inspire something.” She gestured vaguely around them before giving Lexa a soft push towards the house. 

“Thank you. I love you.”

“I know.” The blonde gave her wink before ushering her away. “I love you, too.”

Lexa watched from the kitchen sink as Clarke snapped her fingers before pointing to her side. Fish obediently bounded forward, trailing loyally along as Clarke worked and her children even started to assist, grabbing trash bags and stuffing handfuls in at a time. The brunette smiled to herself. Clarke always did have a commanding potential to her. She could have made a great leader, but Lexa liked that she decided to do what she loved instead. Seeing Clarke happy made Lexa happy. And as her wife, that was all Lexa could really ask for.

She watched Clarke kneel momentarily to pat Fish on the head, whispering something to the dog. His tail wagged eagerly and he trotted over to the backdoor, scratching lightly against the glass. Shaking off her hands and setting aside the broccoli she had been washing, Lexa slid open the door. 

“What now? You want to ruin dinner too?” She grumbled half-heartedly. 

The dog’s tail dropped between his legs as he crawled closer.

Lexa stooped lower, sighing. “What is it boy?”

Suddenly, Fish leapt onto his hind legs, paws coming to steady himself against Lexa’s torso as he gave her one quick lick to the cheek before running back to Clarke’s side. 

Unable to stay angry after Clarke and Fish’s stunt, she broke into a smile.

“Is that supposed to be your way of apologizing?” She laughed, wiping the slobber from her face. She met her wife’s gaze from across the yard, Clarke’s blue eyes soft and warm. Fish circle around her legs happily, rubbing his snout against her knees. 

Fish may have initially been Lexa’s gift, but he definitely loved Clarke more. Not that she could blame him. Who could resist falling in love with Clarke Griffin? Certainly not, Lexa. 

\---

Clarke hated the cold. She always taught her children that they should never ‘hate’ anything. They could dislike, or even ‘strongly dislike.’ But  _ damnit,  _ if she didn’t absolutely loathe the winter. So when she awoke to bright white light pouring through the window, she immediately shuffled deeper under the sheets and into her wife’s arms as she inhaled Lexa’s lavender scent.

“Mm, good morning, love.” Lexa yawned, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“Is it really though?” The blonde countered playfully.

Lexa chuckled, effortlessly picking up on her hesitation. “How many inches do you think we got this time?”

“Too many.” Clarke grunted, pulling Lexa’s arm tighter around her waist until she got the message. The brunette’s fingers drifted to the small of her back, scratching lightly until Clarke’s eyes fluttered closed again.

Lexa laughed, gripping her closer. Blue eyes shot open, not wanting to miss out. Lexa laughing was one of Clarke’s favorite things in the entire world. Well, Lexa in general was one of her favorites. Among others were Aden and Anya. But that went without saying.

“I’ll gas up the blower after breakfast and see if the kids will want to come out with me.” Her wife offered.

Clarke snorted. “You already know they will.”

“Probably.” 

“I’ll have hot chocolate ready for you when you’re done.”

Lexa smiled, tilting forward for a final kiss before unraveling herself from the sheets. Clarke frowned at the loss of heat, moving into the space her wife had previously occupied, soaking up the last few minutes of warmth before grabbing her robe and joining her family in the kitchen.

Aden was sitting on the couch in a fuzzy blue Cookie Monster sweater munching contently on a piece of toast watching Saturday morning cartoons while Anya occupied herself at the table, milk-less Cheerios spilled across her placemat as she created various patterns before popping the groupings into her mouth. Clarke also noticed that one of her socks was missing and one pant leg of her pyjamas was bunched up at her knee, but she seemed otherwise preoccupied.

She laughed. She was so very much like Clarke and Raven when it came to getting lost in her work. Whenever a project took over her mind, she completely forgot about the world. 

“Morning, Monkey!” She greeted, giving Aden’s hair a ruffle. He leaned against the back of the couch, smiling up at her, cheeks full of buttery toast, before returning his attention back to the screen.

“Whatcha making over there, Little Imp?”  Clarke inquired, tying her robe tighter to keep out the cold. 

“That’s pretty.” Clarke complimented, pointer finger extended to top piece of cereal that Anya had used to create the antenna. 

The little one gave a wordless nod, attention focused on her busywork. Clarke smiled, placing the Cheerio in her mouth before adding a kiss to the crown of her daughter’s head.

A cereal duck and episode of The Flintstones later, Clarke was kneeling back on her heels, tugging caps securely over tiny ears and lacing up snow boots, sending her little marshmallow children into the cold.  

After doing the dishes, tucking them securely back into the cupboard, she made her way into the study, which doubled as her makeshift studio, sketching out a forest of glowing butterflies, inspired by her daughter’s cereal masterpiece.

“Clarke!”

The blonde practically jumped out of her skin at the sound of Lexa’s panting call. She hadn’t expected them to be done so quickly. Her maternal instincts immediately kicked in. Something must be wrong. 

“Come quick! I need you to see this!” 

“What?” Her stomach dropped as she threw down her pencil and hustled towards the door, hastily shrugging on her coat. “Babe, what’s wrong? Are the kids okay?”

She bolted out the door in a rush, only to find her wife and children lined up in the front yard, grinning eagerly with rosy cheeks and pink noses.

Clarke skidded to a halt, front door left ajar. 

“What are you up to?” She raised a brow skeptically.

“Tada!” 

“Look, Mommy!”

They stepped aside, revealing a set of four snowmen, and a clumped figure that she could only assume was Fish, the dog in question slipping between her legs and into the snow, frolicking spiritedly, burying his snout into the frozen powder. 

She let out a sigh of relief, the puff of air condensing in front of her. Now that her heartrate was returning back to normal, she allowed herself to step outside to get a closer look.

“Whose idea was this?” She inquired affectionately.

Her wife gestured her arms to both of her kids. “These are fantastic.” She praised, pulling them into a group hug, squeezing as hard as she could until her children could feel the press of her arms through the multiple layers of clothes. 

“I love them! We’re one big happy snow-family.” 

Anya began to wriggle out of her grasp, pushing her mittened hands against Clarke’s shoulders.

“Wait!”

“What’s up, An?” 

Her daughter squatted, balling up a small set of snow before pressing them to the midsection of the second tallest snow figure.

“There. Now it’s Mommy.” Her daughter pointed to Clarke’s chest.

Her eyes widened and she heard Lexa break into laughter. To make matters worse, Fish decided to investigate, licking curiously at the mounds of snow.

“Same, buddy.” Lexa chuckled. “Same.”

Clarke glared, stealthily creating a sphere of her own, launching it in her wife’s direction. It hit Lexa squarely in the chest and she grinned back cheekily. The brunette quickly retaliated, launching herself at Clarke, pinning her to the ground, the fresh snow cushioning the fall.

The rest of the morning was spent making snow angels and engaging in snowball fights until their lips turned blue their teeth were chattering. So maybe Clarke didn’t really  _ hate  _ the cold either.


	6. Phones, Facetime, and Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I just have a soft spot for Raven and Anya, okay? Next chapter will be Aden-focused.

Clarke averted her gaze, taking caution in knowing her wife’s tendency to use those sparkling green orbs against her. Her abilities to render Clarke breathless were effortless.  Clarke wasn’t even sure if Lexa was aware of how much of an effect she on her,  though she probably did. Clarke channeled her focus and began her counter argument. “Babe, you know I love you-”

Lexa flung her hand over her chest in feigned astonishment. “Wait! You love me?”

Clarke grabbed the nearest pillow bat her dramatic wife with it. “Shut up. I married you. Stop trying to distract me.”

The corners of Lexa’s lips tilted up as she shrugged. “Worth a try.”

Yeah, she definitely knew what she was doing. Clarke leaned forward, pecking her on the mouth before resuming her point. “Seriously, Lex, you know I love you and your affinity for sentiment is one of the reasons I married you. But do we  _ really  _ need a landline? Think about it, nobody even uses them anymore. Plus, we have cell phones.”

Sharp green eyes morphed to complete puppy eyes, pouty lip and everything. “It’s only fifteen dollars a month. We can afford it. And what if your phone battery dies? What if Anya decides to put it in Fish’s water bowl? Or Fish buries it the yard? Or what if Raven needs to take it apart to use the microchips inside to save the world from a solar crisis and-”

“Okay, okay!” Clarke was rolling with laughter the more Lexa rattled on. “You’ve made your point.”

Her wife quickly dropped her act. “So can I get one?” The amount of giddy eagerness in Lexa’s eyes was enough to rival that of their children at Disneyworld. 

The blonde woman snorted. “Sure. We can take the money out of your monthly candle budget.”

The only other time Lexa’s jaw hit the floor that fast was when Clarke wore her red lingerie set. “You’re lucky I love you.”

“Wait!” Clarke gasped. “You love me?”

Lexa narrowed her eyes at the parroting of her words. “You’re sleeping on the couch tonight!” 

She did, but Lexa was right there with her, tucked into the crook of her neck. And when morning came, a shower of kisses rained down on her face to wake her. 

\---

It was a languid Saturday evening. Clarke had been the one to cook so Lexa could tie up some loose ends with her financial dispute case. As tradeoff, Lexa offered to clean up and entertain the kids so that the artist could spend a few hours in peace to finish putting the last touches on her latest painting.

“Love!” She heard her wife’s bright call in the living room. “Can you come here, please?”

“Hmm?” As she rounded the corner, she found her wife and children grinning amongst themselves. “Okay, why do I feel like you’re all up to no good?”

“Call the house, Mommy!” Aden bounced from his seat on the couch.

She eyed the trio skeptically. “Why?” 

Lexa offered her a smirk. “Do as your son says, Clarke. Call the house.”

“Call it!” Anya screeched impatiently.

“Okay, okay!” Clarke laughed. “Inside voices. Hold on.” She skittered to the studio, swiping her desk from under a pile of dirty rags. She wiped the screen on the thigh of her sweatpants, a smudge of red trailing behind as a result. 

“Alright.” Her fingers executed the action, tapping out 10 digits before waiting. 

“Put it on speaker.”

“Speaker! Speaker!”

“Alright!” She humored them with an exasperated sigh.  “Yeesh.” 

The phone continued to ring until she was taken to the voicemail message.

_ “Hiiiii!! You’ve reached the Griffin-Woods residence!”  _ Her daughter’s squeaky voice resounded through the room. 

_ “We can’t come to the phone right now.”  _ Aden continued from where she had left off.  _ “But if you leave your name and a message and uhh…” _

A pause followed by undeniable sound of her wife’s whispering.

_ “And we’ll call you back as soon as we possibly can. Thank you!”  _

_ “Okay bye!” _ Anya concluded with exponential enthusiasm. There was a clatter of indistinguishable sounds.

-Beep-

When the message ended, Clarke looked over to find her wife grinning like a fool with one child in each of her arms. Her welcoming eyes shined and she couldn’t resist the temptation of joining to them. The entire family snuggled together, pressed in warm pile of cotton sweatshirts and flannel pyjamas. 

She elevated her chin over Anya’s head to stamp a kiss onto Lexa’s sharp jawline. “You only wanted a landline for the voicemail, didn’t you?”

Lexa responded by shifting her arm wider to include Clarke in her grasp. The action caused her to hover closer and Anya leaned to pillow her head on her chest, humming as she nibbled on a small packet of fruit gummies. 

Lexa pressed kisses to the crowd of each of their treasure’s head. “I just want everyone who ever calls us to know what a beautiful family I have.”Her fingertips danced across the back of Clarke’s shoulder blade. 

The family’s cuddlefest was cut short when Aden requested to be allowed to play with his Lego set, piquing Anya’s interest as well. After the kids had scuttled off, Clarke took advantage of the open space. Lexa draped her legs over her lap, arms hooking around her waist as she pulled her closer. Clarke relaxed, letting her head fall on Lexa’s shoulder as she fashioning her arm around her wife’s neck with a content sigh. 

“You know, you could’ve had them record the voice message on your cell phone and saved us the money.”

She felt Lexa stiffen. “Shoot! I didn’t even think of that.”

“Alexandria!”

\---

Lexa had been involuntarily volunteered to help her in-laws with setting up their new video phone and corresponding laptops. Clarke was showing Jake how to make a Facetime while Abby was supposed to receive it in the next room. 

“Mom, no. You don’t-” Lexa tried to explain, face reddening as her frustration grew. Her children watched with rapt attention, unaware of the growing tension between the two women. For her own sanity, Lexa began to count in her head. 10, 9, 8...as her mother-in-law continued to tap recklessly against her phone. 

Had it been one of her employees, she wouldn’t have hesitated to correct them with a harsh, cold stare. But this was different. At the beginning of their relationship, Abby Griffin intimidated her to no end. Now, almost a decade later, she no longer skimmed the surface of growing comfortable with the woman. That didn’t go to say that she wasn’t easily frustrated by some of the things she did. 

“That’s not how you-”

Abby starting toggling the switches on the side before switching to her laptop, brows furrowed in the same fiery determination that her wife had inherited. 

“Abby, it’s synced. Can you let me just-”

“Wait! Don’t press that!”

“What’s taking you two so long?” Her wife’s head peeked out from the corner of the hall. She sighed in relief, the sight of Clarke’s calm demeanor easing the tension of her fists. Her nails slowly unsheathed themselves from where they had been pressed into her palm. 

Her father-in-law, a perceptive humanitarian like his daughter, emerged from behind Clarke with his phone resting in his hand. He took one glance at Lexa and was able to key into her frustration. “Abby, hand Lexa the phone.” 

As he approached, the signals overlapped, resulting in a deafening static that had Clarke swiping the device from his hands, dashing down the hall. Once their ears had been relieved of the shattering frequency, Abby passed Lexa her phone and the brunette executed pressing the proper buttons.

“Now we should see Clarke pop up right about...” 

Hypnotizing blue eyes appeared on the screen. 

“Hello, love.” Lexa grinned at the screen, unable to hide her affection, though she had just seen her wife a second ago.

Clarke blushed. “Hey, babe.”

The clearing of a throat pried them from their staring contest.

“So uh, yeah. When someone makes a call request, you can use the preview screen to focus on your face. It goes to the front camera by default, but you can change it by pressing the button I showed you. Right here. Then you click the green call button to accept.” Lexa explained to Abby whose eyes glazed over halfway thru. 

“Sorry, one more time?” 

Clarke’s melodious laughter echoed through the phone speakers and from down the hall, surrounding Lexa in warmth.

“It sounds like we have two mommies!” Aden chimed in.

“You do have two mommies.” Phone-Clarke pointed out. 

Anya sprung from the floor, tugging on Lexa’s sleeve. She bent to show her daughter the screen. “Hi, Mommy!”

“Hi, Little Imp!” 

Tiny feet pattered against the hardwood floor as she ran down the hall into the next room. “Hi, Mommy!” Lexa could hear her greeting again, followed by another double echo of Clarke’s laughter.

“Hi, Little Imp!”

She watched Jake duck out of view before reemerging with Anya in his arms. “Hi, Mama!” Her daughter waved at the camera. 

“Hi, An.” She couldn’t help but laugh at her daughter’s antics.

Anya wiggled until her Grampy set her down, and another beating of the child’s feet resounded until a weight thrust against her legs. Anya beamed, her baby teeth poking through. “Hi, Mama!”

“Well hello there. Long time no see.” 

“Can I try too, Mama?” Aden approached with curious steps.

“Of course, Monkey. Wanna help me and Grandma call Grampy?”

Her son nodded.

The remainder of the afternoon consisted of teaching Abby and Jake how to use voice texting and sending and receiving voice calls, with equal assistance from their children. It came as no surprise that the one who picked up on it the quickest was Anya, who proceeded to use the iPhone to give whoever was on the other line, a tour of the house from a child’s eye view. 

“And here’s the drawer. And under my bed. And the potty. And inside the potty…”

“Anya! Wait!”

\---

Anya clung to Raven’s brace. “I don’t wanna go!”

“But don’t you want to see Grandma? And Grampy?” Clarke asked. 

Their daughter glanced at the SUV with conflict and mixed emotion. “I wanna see Raven!” Anya whined in protest. 

“Use your big girl voice.” Her wife disciplined. 

“I’ll be here when you get back, Gidget. I promise.” Raven encouraged the little one to let go, coaxing her fingers to release the metal. 

“But…” Anya tightened her grip. 

“We can Facetime.” Raven tickled Anya’s stomach, and her hands released as she squirmed. Seizing the opportunity, Lexa snatched her away before she could latch on again. She positioned the little one to koala around her front as Raven assisted. 

“Don’t worry.” Raven rubbed her back soothingly. “You’ll have so much fun without me.”

“Why can’t Raven come too?” Anya muttered into Lexa’s neck.

“Raven has to work, baby.”

“That’s right.” Her godmother nodded, a playful smirk dancing across her features. “I have to go to work so I have to make money to buy you things, ya know?”

Anya’s face lit up. 

“Maybe there will be a nice surprise for you when you come back. Hmm? Maybe a fun little toy? Or some candy. How does that sound?”

Anya’s nodded eagerly. 

Raven extended her index finger. “But you have to go on vacation first.” 

“Stop spoiling her.” Despite her berating, Clarke chuckled. 

Raven shrugged. “Just trying to help ya out.”

Lexa snorted. “By bribing our child?” 

“By easing her pain.”

Clarke began gathering Anya’s toys from Raven’s floor, stuffing them in her purse. “You don’t ease pain. You overcome it.”

Raven rolled her eyes, holding the door open for them. “No need to get philosophical, Griffin. She’s only three. Let her be a child.”

“I think you’re the child.” Clarke stuck her tongue out as she fastened Anya into her carseat. Raven retaliated by poking it with her finger. 

Lexa slipped into the driver’s seat, scowling at their behavior in the rearview mirror. “Real mature. Both of you.” 

“Raven?” Anya twisted against the buckles. 

“Yeah?”

“Will you miss me?”

The Latina’s eyes softened. “Yes, of course. How could I not?”

Seeming satisfied, Anya nodded. “Okay. I’ll miss you too, Raven.”

Raven clenched her fists, biting back tears.

“I’ll miss you most, Gidget.” her voice cracked as pressed a kiss to Anya’s chubby cheeks. “Lexa, you bring my goddaughter home safe, got it?”

The brunette chuckled. “Of course. See you in a week, Ray.”

The Latina shut the door, giving the metal a smack before stepping back. Clarke climbed into the passenger seat and Lexa put the car in reverse, backing down the driveway. 

\---

The moment they arrived at the airport, Anya was more than pleasant, despite her difficult time parting with her godmother. In fact, she took in her surroundings with awestruck wonder in her eyes. It was the first time her mothers had taken her to an airport. She had never seen so many people in one place. Lexa sat her daughter on her lap while they waited at their terminal, keen eyes of the little one darted back and forth as other travelers passed, lugging their suitcases behind them. 

“Mama?”

“Hmm?”

“Are we gonna fly like Raven?”

Lexa chuckled. “Not quite. Raven does flight simulation testing in an antigravity chamber inside. We’re going to be flying much higher than she does.”

“Even higher?” Her eyes widened in excitement. 

“Yes! And I’ll let you Facetime her later so can tell her all about it when we land. Would you like that?”

Anya beamed.

\---

Raven watched her goddaughter scoot around the beachouse, nodding with enthusiasm whenever the little one looked to the screen to address her. She couldn’t help the genuine smile that crossed her face at the sight of Anya pointing out random objects here and there that, from a pre-schooler’s mind, were just fascinating. 

“Then we went up, up, up!” Anya raised a pudgy hand into the air as she explained their takeoff. The phone wobbled as she reached higher and higher, tiny fingers raised above her head.

“Did you look out the window, Gidget?” 

“Yes! Everything got small. Then we went in the clouds. Mama said we went to maxima lelation.”

“Maximum elevation, Chiquita.” Raven correct patiently. 

“Maxium lelatation.” Anya nodded, as though comprehend, eyes trained on something out of frame.

“Close enough.” She laughed. “Hey, An. Whatcha got there?”

No reply.

“Gidget?”

“Anya Isabelle?” Raven whistled.

Her goddaughter blinked. “Huh?”

She chuckled at the adorable confusion on Anya’s face. “What are you looking at, Gidget? Can Raven see?”

“Raven can see.” Anya nodded, expertly rotating the camera with a press of a button.

“Ooo, Anya. I don’t think your mamas would want you to go over there without adult supervision.”

“Raven is an adult.” Anya retorted matter-of-factly. 

“Well, that…” Raven paused. She did have a point. 

“I’ll bring you so I won’t get in trouble.”

The Latina chuckled. She was too smart for her own good. “Alright, but only for a minute. Then you need to go back to your Mommy.” 

Anya frowned. 

“Anya.” Raven sterned her voice.

“Okay.” 

Anya puttered over with Facetime-Raven in hand. 

“Don’t drop me, An.” Raven warned. “Can you set the phone over on the side? How about over there?” She pointed at the small chair in the corner of the room, in direct line of sight of the hot tub. 

Anya nodded obediently, setting the phone on the ground so she could free her hands to move the chair closer. Once she had placed it close enough, she set Phone-Raven in position and hoisted herself over the ledge.  

“Careful, An. Just put your feet in.”

Little feet beat against the surface of the water as Anya grinned at the screen.

“Raven, look!”

“I’m looking, Gidget! Hey now, not too close.”

Anya froze before placing her hand over the surface of the water, giving it a tender pat. “Good water.”

She continued with her little splashes, soon forgetting Raven completely as she became enthralled in her own little world. The Latina decided to give her a few more minutes before calling her back. 

“Okay, Chiquita. It’s almost your bedtime. An? Anya?”

“What?”

“Wow. Forgetting about me already?” She teased the little one who shook her head immediately.

“No, Raven. I didn’t! I promise!”

“Okay, okay. I believe you.” Raven chuckled. “Come on. Bedtime.”

“But I’m not tired.”

“That’s because you’re jetlagged. But it’s already ten o’clock over there. Way past your bedtime. You need to sleep or you’re going to be tired tomorrow.”

“What’s jetlag?”

“When you travel to a different time zone.” 

Anya cocked her head.

“You time traveled.”

“I did?” Her eyes widened as she puffed her chest out with pride.

“You did. Now, salí. Out you go.”

“Do I have to?”

“Yes, you do. Don’t make me come over there.” She kept her tone light, though a pang of sadness trickled into her heart as she spoke the words. Anya seemed to be coping just fine without her. But Raven was already missing her little muñeca. 

With reluctance, Anya pushed off the ledge, two feet landing on the floor. 

“Raven, will you color with me?”

“You need to sleep.”

Anya jut out her bottom lip, accompanying the perfected pout with a bat of her soft, chocolate orbs.

“Alright, fine. Only for a little. Go get your jammies.” 

That evening, while Raven tinkered in her workshop, phone propped against her toolbox, Anya and her godmother Facetimed until the crayon clasped in Anya’s grip loosened, and her head bobbed to the side, eventually nesting in the crook of her arm. 

“Goodnight, Gidget.”

The preschooler’s mumbled reply was enough to make Raven’s night and tide her over until the Griffin-Woods returned a week later. 


	7. Following In Their Footsteps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clexa and the delinquents go camping.   
> \---  
> I didn't proofread this. Sorry!

Clarke could tell that Lexa was a little nervous. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Clarke’s high school friends, but Lexa was the type of person to get stuck in her head sometimes. Despite how many times Clarke insisted she was being irrational, some tiny voice in the back of her head dug into her subconscious and made her seek out their approval. But the slight insecurity was endearing. Her friends had all openly given their blessings during the wedding, yet her wife still felt the urge to prove to them that she was the best. Not for personal reasons, but for Clarke. She needed them to know that she would be the best and  _ only  _ partner, wife, and lover for Clarke Griffin-Woods. And god, was she. 

Clarke looked over at the beautiful woman she married, unable to hide her smile. “Lex, babe, relax,” she cooed, reaching over the center console to scratch at the baby hairs on the back of her neck, “my friends adore you.  _ I  _ adore you. I love you.”

Pink dusted over the rise of her wife’s cheekbones. “Thank you, love. But I never said I was nervous.” 

“Your white knuckles say otherwise.” Clarke’s fingertips fluttered down Lexa’s arms, meeting her clenched fists. They rubbed the joints until they loosened their grip on the steering wheel. After being pried away, Clarke interlaced their fingers, placing a kiss to the back of her hand.

Lexa hummed contently as the corner of her mouth raised. 

“There’s my favorite smile.”

“What about me, Mommy?” came a squeaky voice of protest.

“Alright, my second favorite.” Clarke teased, appeasing their son.

“And me?”

“But of course.” Clarke twisted to shoot a wink over her shoulder, sharing a grin with their daughter before amending, “sorry, Lex, you’ve been demoted. Third favorite smile.” 

Lexa shook her head with a chuckle. Had the argument perspired amongst anyone else, Lexa probably would have insisted over her dead body the Clarke take it back. But with their children, there was no discussion. She cranked up the radio, initiating an impromptu quartet as they sang along. 

\---

When their SUV finally made it up the mountain, several members of “the Delinquents,” the name they dubbed themselves in high school, were already setting up the camp site.

Clarke popped out of the vehicle first, unfastening the youngest from her safety restraint with practiced ease. Aden soon rounded the corner as Lexa locked the door, opening the hatch for the trunk to retrieve their bags while Clarke went to greet the group. 

“Hey, guys. Sorry we’re late. This one didn’t want to get dressed this morning.” She gestured her thumb over her shoulder at her family.

Raven propped her hands on her hips with a playful scowl. “Anya.” Her daughter skid to a halt, gazing up with confusion at the unexpected reprimanding. Her big brown eyes flickered between Raven’s and Clarke’s in alarm. The blonde laughed, shaking her head with encouraging smile. She gave Anya a gentle push towards her godmother and the little one immediately plastered to Raven’s side. 

“Nah, I meant  _ this  _ one.”  Clarke smirked, gesturing directly at Lexa. 

“Wha?” Lexa had finally caught up, arms full of bags and Anya’s favorite stuffed dinosaur. “I… no I didn’t!” 

Clarke threw her head back in laughter, taking a bag from her wife.  “I’m kidding, babe.” She pecked her cheek in apology. “Here, let me help.” 

They worked together to unload the back of the SUV while their children intermingled with the others. Aden and Tris gravitated towards one another, as she knew they would. And Anya sprung into action, assisting Raven’s with carrying her hammer, two hands wrapped tightly around the handle as she marched alongside the Latina carrying the toolbox. 

She watched for a moment as Raven instructed her to set the spoke before securing the tent to the ground. Anya raised her arms above her head, ready to strike, but her swing was caught by her godmother, who lowered them to a more reasonable height. The preschooler nodded before descending the hammer with a gentle tap. They repeated the action again and again until Raven raised a hand and a tinier one met her palm in a high five. The godmother then scooped her into her arms, spinning her until the air filled with squeals.

Clarke noticed Lexa’s head shoot up in reflex before her features relaxed when she realized they were sounds of glee. Their eyes met, green drifting to blue in a magnetic hold. Lexa’s lips tilted, mirroring the smile on the blonde’s face. 

Turning from the shrieking laughter and Raven’s dramatized kisses, Clarke scanned the area to check on her son. She found him trailing Lincoln like an imprinted duckling, legs elongated as he adjusted his gate to follow in his footsteps. Lincoln’s weight on the soft ground left light imprints in the mud and Aden, less than half his size, was trying to match them. It was endearing.

A few steps later, Aden halted, brows knitting together. Clarke waited a moment to gauge whether or not her son needed her help. Within seconds, she realized his conflict. Her tender son stooped down to pick up a leaf, delicately corralling a small beetle out of the way of his next step, ushering it over to a rock on the side of the path. Their son was a such a gentle child. She grinned to herself before returning her attention to unpacking their belongings into their tent. 

Within the next hour, all of her high school friends and their families had arrived, gathering around the fire. Lincoln and Bellamy worked on grilling while Murphy and Emori focused on seasonings and the more complicated cooking tasks. Jasper and Monty conversed on a nearby log. Their wives, Maya and Harper, carried on next to them, gossiping about the new girl at their partnership bakery. Jasper and Maya’s daughter, Phoebe was squirming impatiently as she waited for Tris, who sat in front of Octavia while she untangled the knots from her hair. Octavia proceeded rebraiding them so they were ready for her next wild runabout with Aden and Phoebe. 

Raven had Anya in her lap, leaning into the preschooler’s ear to whisper what Clarke could only imagine was a series of complex chemical formulas regarding carbon dioxide and burning wood. Nonetheless, Anya nodded along as though she had any clue what her godmother was spewing.  She nudged her wife’s ribs, tilting her chin in the direction of the two with an amused expression. Lexa chuckled, placing a kiss to Clarke’s temple. The group cooed, aside from Raven, who decided to gag instead. 

“Ya know, I’m still so bummed Lexa’s a lesbian.” Jasper mentioned, playfully eying Lexa up and down. “Such a shame.”

The brunette retaliated by kicking at the mud, launching it in his direction before shifting even closer to Clarke. The blonde wrapped a protective arm around her waist and  sent Jasper a teasing scowl while Maya smacked his arm. 

“Ow! I’m kidding, I love you, Maya Jordan.”

“Yeah, well that sucks cause the feelings aren’t mutual.” Maya smirked and the group of friends broke into laughter.

“What’s lesbian?” Phoebe cocked a brow. 

Maya pat her daughter on the head. “Lesbians like girls. Lexa is a lesbian because she thinks they’re pretty.” she simplified.

“Well they are.” Lexa defended, batting her eyes at Clarke before chuckling, “especially the one I married.”

Clarke cast her eyes to the ground, unable to cool the burning in her cheeks. She heard Murphy snort from where he was hovering over a small pot, soon joined by the rest of the group bemoaning her “Lextra” comment. Still, Clarke leaned over to place a grateful kiss upon her wife’s cheek. 

Her “back atcha, babe” in reply was  followed by another round of groans.

\---

After lunch, Raven convinced Anya to take a nap by bartering she could have a “sleepover” with her if she did. With their little one tucked into the mechanic’s side and Anya’s Minnie Mouse sleeping bag draped over their shoulders, the two mothers left with a final kiss upon the little one’s head. Lexa even placed one, after a subdued eye roll, on Raven’s forehead. Her daughter  _ insisted  _ that everyone be treated equally. Oh how Lexa wanted to wipe the smug grin off Raven’s face. 

When they retreated to the campfire, Lexa was surprised to find Aden waiting for them. 

“Hey, little man!” Clarke smiled.

“Why aren’t you playing with your friends?” Lexa looked between Aden and the two girls who were off on their own, poking sticks into the ground to make some sort of circle. “Are they not sharing?”

The youngster shook his head. “No. They’re sharing. It’s just…”He paused, face stitched up with his nose scrunched in confusion. 

“Just what, baby?” Lexa softened her tone. “Tell Mama.”

Aden looked carefully around at the adults surrounding them. Reading their son’s hesitation, Clarke ushered him into their tent while Lexa zipped the door. 

“Go on, honey. It’s okay.” Her wife urged. “You know you can tell us anything, right?”

“I think…” Suddenly, Aden bolted head first into Lexa’s sleeping bag, crawling on his hands and knees, with his rear in the air until she could just make out the outline of his body under the plushy material.

Lexa looked to her wife dumbfounded. Clarke shrugged, just as confused by their son’s peculiar behavior.

“Aden?” 

“Muhfmlzbn” came his muffled response.

Clarke chuckled. “Come again?”

“Aden, love, we can’t understand you. Can you come out?” 

The lump under the sleeping bag wiggled.

“Alright, then we’re coming in.”

The two wives ducked their heads inside, lying on their stomachs to be eye level with their hidden son. His hair clung to the static-y fabric and his eyes widened in alarm.

“Monkey, what’s gotten into you?” Lexa inquired, shifting towards him but Aden retreated. “Adey, please.” 

Hazel orbs lifted with hesitancy. “Mama, am I a lesbian?”

Lexa’s jaw dropped. “Wh-wh-what? No. Why would you think that?” 

“Miss Maya said that lesbians think girls are pretty. I think Tris is really pretty. And I like girls. I like Tris.” 

CLarke immediately clamped her hand over her mouth, attempting to hide her laughter. 

Lexa elbowed her before scooting as best as she could in the confined space to position herself in front of their son. “Oh, Aden,” her eyes softened and she placed her hands on his shrunken shoulders, “you’re not a lesbian. Lesbians are  _ girls  _ who like girls. Do you feel like a girl?”

Aden shook his head. 

“Then don’t worry. There’s nothing wrong with being a boy who likes girls. And there’s nothing wrong with being a girl who likes girls either.” Lexa explained.

“Or someone who likes both.” Clarke chimed in. 

The brunette nodded. “Exactly. And I will love you matter what type of people you like. And so will Mommy and everyone else, okay?”

“Okay.” Aden broke into a smile. “Can I go play now?”

“Yes, of course!” 

Lexa quickly freed them of the suffocating sleeping bag and their son rejoined his small group of peers. “It was getting hot under there anyway.” 

“Oh, it’ll be hotter tonight.” Clarke wiggled her brows in Lexa’s direction causing the brunette to snort. 

“Save it for later.” Lexa scolded, though she was unable to hide her grin. “First, we’re taking a nap.”

“What are you? Anya?”

“Shh. ” Lexa let her dead weight fall upon her wife, effectively knocking her onto her back and pinning her under her weight. “Please shut up and just cuddle with me.” 

“Okay, fine.” Pink lips pressed against her temple. “But only because you asked  _ so  _ nicely.”

Though her face was buried in Clarke’s neck, Lexa could tell her wife had rolled her eyes while making her last retort. In retaliation she ran her fingers up and down Clarke’s sides, loving the way her laughter exploded right next to her ear as she squirmed beneath her. She eventually relented, allowing Clarke to catch her breath while resting her head on her chest. When the beating of her heart returned a strong, steady beat, she closed her eyes, lulled to sleep by the sound of Clarke’s love.

\---

“Mama! Mommy! Come see!” She heard the echoing call outside their tent. Lexa rubbed her eyes, squinting as they adjusted to the darkness. 

“Lexa?” Clarke croaked next to her, the sound of her raspy, sleep-voice skyrocketed Lexa’s heartbeat. She burrowed closer into Lexa’s side and the brunette dipped her head to nestle her nose into Clarke’s golden curls. 

Even with the smells of the outdoors, Clarke still managed to smell like vanilla, laundry detergent, and lingering turpentine from her studio that seemed permanently seeped in her pores. It was the strangest combination, but Lexa wouldn’t change it for the world. She inhaled deeply, placing a kiss to Clarke’s temple. 

“Mm.” Clarke hummed into her neck. “What time is it?”

Before Lexa could locate her phone, the zipper sprung open. “It’s time to get up!” A tiny head poked in and Aden grinned proudly. “Look! I made that.” 

The couple looked over to see a crackling fire and the rest of the group already beginning to prepare a meal.

“How long did we sleep for?” Clarke chuckled as Lexa helped her sit up. She watched her wife roll her shoulders, rubbing at the base of her neck. “I’m getting too old to be laying on the ground.”

Lexa brought both hands up to Clarke’s tensed shoulders, massaging lightly before dropping a kiss to each. “Come, love. Let’s go sit by the fire our little earth child made. Maybe that will help.” She suggested before throwing a wink in her son’s direction. 

Clarke nodded as Lexa gathered a spare blanket, encircling it around her wife as they settled on a free log. “This is a fantastic fire, Adey. You did this yourself?” 

“He’s a natural.” Bellamy chimed in.

“Kid’s aces.” Jasper and Monty praised, each passing their knuckles over his hair as Aden struggled.

“Alright, you two! Leave my godson alone.” Lincoln swatted them off before handing Aden a stack of paper plates. He wiped his thumb on his jeans before licking his finger and placing it in the air. 

Aden seemed to comprehend, copying his lead as he followed the path of the breeze. Within a few seconds, he was rounding the flames, using the plates to help him fan the smoke away from his mothers’ faces while still building the fire to warm them. 

“Thank you, Aden.” 

“I’m very impressed, Little Man! Great job!” 

In that moment, their daughter approached with caked mud crusted to the bottom of her pants. “Mommy! Mama! You’re up!”

“That we are.” Clarke confirmed while Lexa grimaced as a pair of muddy hands circled around her neck.

She gently pried Anya’s arms away, placing their daughter on her lap. “And what happened to you, my little mud child?” 

The little one kicked her feet happily in response, coating Lexa’s shins in mud as well. She sighed in defeat. 

Clarke laughed, brushing uselessly at the mess.“Who let you get this messy? Wait, don’t answer that. Reyes! Come here!”

“Whatup, Clarkita?”

“I thought you and Anya were supposed to be taking a  _ nap _ .” Lexa butt in. 

“We did. But  _ she  _ doesn’t need a three hour nap.” Raven jabbed. “Unlike you elderlies.”.

“We’re still fully capable of being young and wild.” Clarke huffed indignantly. 

“Sure.” Raven snorted. “Hey Gidget,should we show your moms what you made?”

Chocolate orbs filled with anticipation before placing two muddy palms on Lexa’s knees, climbing down and toddling over to the side of Raven’s tent. Lexa sighed at her ruined jeans before turning her attention back to the conversation. 

“Please tell me it’s not something dangerous.” 

“Nah. Don’t worry, Lextra. It’s not flammable. Though she did work on it just as hard as Gadget did on his fire.” 

“We’ll humor her, don’t worry.” Lexa assured as she watched her daughter retrieve whatever creation she and Raven had spent the afternoon drafting. 

“Whatcha got there, An?”

At the sound of her name, Anya skipped forward with too much enthusiasm, slipping in the process. As a result, the mud pie she had worked so meticulously on went flying in the air, landing squarely in Clarke’s lap and splattering across her face. 

Lexa gasped and Raven’s eyes widened.

Clarke blinked, wiping as much of the mud off with the sleeve of her sweater as she could. “Anya.” was all the blonde managed to say. 

“Come on, Gidget.” Raven quickly whisked Anya onto her hip as Lexa stood to grab a towel. “It’s okay. Let’s give your moms a minute.”

Anya began whimpering, expression torn between grieving the loss of her pie and fear for getting mud all over her mommy. 

“Mommy’s not mad.” Lexa tried to assure, aware of Clarke’s still stunned expression. “Just let me help her get cleaned up, okay? You go with Raven.”

Anya could only nod as she allowed Raven to take her and limp away. Lexa could just make out the beginnings of the telltale sound of Anya’s cries as she shook her head.

“Clarke? Are you alright?” Lexa began brushing the mud off Clarke’s lap. 

“I…I...” A startlingly sly grin began to spread across Clarke’s features.

Lexa was taken aback. “Clarke? Love?”

“I really didn’t expect Anya to be the one to make me get down and dirty in the woods.” Clarke erupted in laughter and Lexa couldn’t fight the urge to join her. Soon the two wives were lost in themselves, tears rolling down their cheeks and their sides burning from laughing so hard.

\---

After a nice, intimate dinner and a shower rotation, the delinquents and their families gathered around the fire one last time for a round of s'mores before tucking their children into bed.

“Are you sure giving the kids sweets before bed is a good idea?” Lincoln questioned.

“Absolutely not.” 

“But we’ve never had problems with Phoeb’s getting a sugar rush.”  

“That’s because you own a bakery! She’s been conditioned.”

“Yeah, but my husband still hasn’t been.”

“Hey!”

The group chorused into laughs, slowly dying out as their mouths became otherwise occupied by the marshmallow between their teeth. 

“Alright. These logs are too low.” Raven grunted as she brushed off her hands, tossing her empty skewer to the side. The mechanic hobbled to her feet, stretching out her bum leg. “I need to go for a quick walk.”

“Do you want me to come with?” Lexa offered, noticing the way Raven winced as she straightened her knee. The afternoon hike and uneven ground was probably putting a strain on her joints. She knew Raven wasn’t going to admit to being in pain, so she added, “it’s pretty dark.” 

“Nah. I’m good.” Raven tapped the light on her phone. “See?”

“Can I go too?” Anya’s eyes twinkled. 

“No, An.” Lexa drummed the seat next to her. “Let’s give Auntie Raven some-”

“Sure, Gidget.” The Latina cut off. “You can come.”

“I shouldn’t be jealous, should I?” Lexa whispered to Clarke as Anya skipped towards her godmother. 

Clarke pat her knee. “There, there, babe. I’d let you come with me.”

“Was that supposed to be an innuendo?” The brunette raised a brow to Clarke’s answering smirk. 

“Tease.” She muttered. 

Clarke leaned forward, warm breath against the shell of Lexa’s ear as she whispered, “I will be later.” She then proceeded to swipe her thumb under Lexa’s bottom lip, sticking it into her mouth as she sucked the sticky residue.

Lexa blushed, diverting her gaze. 

“That was repulsive.” Octavia scoffed, hiding her face in Lincoln’s chest as she used her free hand to cover Tris’s eyes. 

“I don’t know. I thought it was kinda hot.” Jasper interrupted. 

“Don’t be creepy.” Maya narrowed her eyes. “You’re setting the worst example for Phoebe.”

“She’s just fine.” 

The parents looked over to find Phoebe and Aden working together to sandwich a smoking marshmallow onto a piece of chocolate before returning back to their banter.

“Well, I think you two are sweet.” Monty moderated. “Why not cherish your wife?” He smiled warmly at Harper as the two shared a look.

“Thank you, Monty. You’ve always been my favorite delinquent.” Lexa praised. “And I agree.”

Green eyes then fell to her daughter and godmother in the distance. Even from afar she could see Raven struggling with her limp as she returned to the campsite. Her jaw dropped. Anya was following behind her, dragging her leg as well. Her maternal instincts kicked in as she dashed toward them, Clarke close on her heels.

“Are you two okay?” 

“Yeah, fine.” Raven shrugged. 

“Yes, Mama!” Anya chirped from her side. 

“Then why are you walking like that?” Lexa gestured to Anya’s stunted gate. 

Anya smiled. “Because Raven is.”

Her eyes widened in horror. “Anya! You can’t do that! We don’t make fun of people’s disabilities.”

“Never in a million years would I have expected her to - I just - God, Ray, I’m so sorry.” Clarke apologized.

“What’s a disability?” Anya interrupted. 

Lexa looked hesitantly between her daughter and best friend.

“Auntie Raven walks a little funny because of her disability.” Raven explained, pointing to herself. “I hurt my leg when I was younger and got a really big boo-boo. But it never fully got better. And that’s why I have a brace. It’s to help me walk.” 

“But An, love, you can’t mock the way she walks because it.” Lexa added. 

“But I wanna!” Anya stomped her foot. She would have taken it a little more seriously if she wasn’t wearing light-up shoes that immediately started flashing as a result.

“No, Anya!” Clarke berated firmly, stooping to be eye level with their daughter. “You’re not allowed to.”

“It’s very rude and disrespectful to Raven.” Lexa added with a cross of her arms, “That type of behavior is unacceptable, do you understand?”

“But…” Anya’s eyes welled with tears. “I like it.” She clung to Raven’s brace, tiny fingers wrapping around the metal. 

Lexa hated this part of having to punish her children. “Sometimes you don’t get to have the things you want. Even if you like them.” 

“But…” Anya tried again with exasperation. “It’s special. No one else is like Raven. I love Raven!” 

The couple looked to each other, stunned. 

“I love you too, Muñeca. But you don’t have to copy the way I walk, okay? Listen to your moms.” 

“Okay, Raven.” Anya nodded. “Am I in trouble?” She inquired warily, eyes lingering on Lexa’s softening expression. 

“No,” She shook her head with a sigh. “I guess not.” How could she be upset with her daughter for something like that?

“What do you say you and I head back over before the rest of the s’mores are gone.” Clarke urged, taking Anya by the hand. “Mama and Raven will join us in a second.”

Lexa gave her wife a thankful smile, waiting for their daughter and wife to be out of earshot before speaking. 

“Well, that was something.” She turned to Raven. 

“Yeah.” Raven’s voice cracked. 

“Hey,” Lexa coaxed. “Are you okay? I know that was probably kinda awkward for you.”

“Yeah. It’s fine. I’m fine.” Raven rubbed at her eyes. “Just, the smoke’s irritating that’s all, ya know?”

“Sure.” Lexa agreed, not bothering to fight. She wrapped an arm over her best friend’s shoulders, rubbing at her own green orbs. “I know. Me too, Ray. Me too.” 

\---

Lexa laughed as they tumbled into each other, bare skin pressed against bare skin under the safety of their sleeping bags. With Anya insisting on sleeping in Raven’s tent and Aden having “boys night” with Lincoln and Bellamy, the married couple was gifted with a night to themselves. 

Clarke rolled over, pressing her chest to Lexa’s. She could feel the beating of her heart between their clothes.

“Trying to get freaky in the woods, my love?” Lexa husked as their lips met. 

“Oh, I think I already am.” The blonde smirked as she slipped her fingers down Lexa’s stomach, across the rise of her hip bones and down into slick warmth.  “Quite literally in the  _ Griffin _ -Woods, at least.” Clarke’s fingers curled, eliciting a sharp gasp and jerk in reflex from Lexa’s hips. 

“Fuck! Clarke,” Lexa moaned, hot breath against her lips. “more.”

“Shh, babe.” The rustling of their sleeping bags lessened, but it didn’t stop the brunette from grinding against Clarke, needing to feel her bare skin.

“Lift up for me, baby.”

Lexa adjusted, allowing Clarke to slip in deeper. The angle was more than perfect and with a few short strokes, Lexa was falling apart, tangling her fingers into Clarke’s golden locks and pulling her into a passionate kiss.

“It’s been a while.” Lexa noted when she finally came back down to earth. “We haven’t been able to do anything like this in…” She trailed off. “God, I can’t even remember.” 

“I know.”

“Shit! Have I been neglecting you, love? I’m so sorry, Clarke. I haven’t been meaning to. Work just gets in the way sometimes. And with the kids. Well, I mean, they’re not an excuse. There should be no excuse for that. You’re my wife. I swore fealty to you. I promised that I would take care of you, whenever you needed. My priority should always- mph!”

Clarke caught her lips before she could continue, kissing her hard. Lexa parted her lips, allowing their tongues to battle before her wife finally broke the kiss.

“Okay, first of all. Calm down, Romeo.” Clarke laughed. “No need to go all wedding vows on me. I  _ know _ . Second, you haven’t been neglecting me. I get it. They’re my kids too, remember? We’re in this together.” 

“Okay.” Lexa peppered kisses over Clarke’s cheeks, nose, and forehead. “But that was nothing like my vows. My vows said ‘I swear fealty to you, Clarke Griffin. I vow to treat your needs as my own and your problems as my problems. I promise to keep you in my thoughts and my presence, hold you in my heart and in my arms, and love you so much that the entire universe will have no doubt about the existence of soulmates. Because you were meant for me. And  I was meant for you.”

Clarke gave a teary eyed smile, “You… you still remember? After all those years?”

“Of course, love.” Lexa brushed away the stray tear tracking down her cheek. “Clarke Abigail Griffin-Woods, the way you make me feel is something I could never forget. And I never want to.”

“God, I love you.” Clarke breathed.

“I love you too. So much.” Lexa interlaced their fingers. 

“Prove it.” Her wife challenged. 

Lexa bucked her hips, flipping them over. “Gladly.”


	8. A Quality Education

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aden/Anya go to school.

**** She had no idea where the time went. It seemed like just a few minutes ago she was glancing at the clock, prepping for her morning conference call, and the next she was scrambling through the door with her phone smashed against her shoulder as she hustled to strap a five-year-old Aden into his carseat. If only her client wasn’t such an ignoramus and had listened to her the first time! Then she wouldn’t have had to spend the last three hours cleaning up the mess surrounding his case and could focus on their soon-to-be kindergartener. 

The couple had agreed to take Aden shopping for his first day of school. Their son had been boasting about it for weeks, bouncing on the balls of his feet with excitement. Truth be told, Lexa was a bit saddened by the whole ordeal. She enjoyed being able to work from home every other Friday to spend time with her little ones and her wife. 

“I’m here!” She panted as she wheeled Aden inside, their five year old smiling eagerly from the back of the shopping cart. 

Clarke shook her head with a smile, placing a quick peck on her cheek before coaxing Anya from her hip and settling their daughter  into the front of the cart.

“Hi, Mama!” Anya waved before turning in her seat to greet her brother. “Hi Adey!”

As they allowed their children a moment to reunite in greeting, Lexa wrapped her arm around Clarke’s waist, pulling her close. 

“I thought you’d never show up.” Her wife pouted teasingly.

“I’m sorry, love.” Lexa gave her wife’s hip a squeeze. “My client is essentially an ignorant-”

Clarke chuckled. “It’s okay, babe. Stop thinking about work. Here.” The blonde thrust the shopping list into her hand. “This is the only thing you need to be thinking about, okay?”

Lexa deflated. “Okay.”

“Come on,” Clarke smiled, unwinding from Lexa’s grasp to head the front of the cart, directing them towards the ‘Home and office’ aisle. 

While Clarke steered and Lexa pushed, the brunette took a moment to scan over the list in her hand, a broad smile spreading over her face. Next to each word was a small doodle to depict said item on the list. Lexa loved when Clarke made the shopping list for that very reason. Tracing her finger over the image of a backpack, she couldn’t help but let out a watery laugh. 

“Babe? Are you okay?” Her wife inquired, seemingly able to cue in on her behavior.

“Yeah, I just can’t believe we’re doing this already.” She sniffled, chuckling at the absurdity of her reaction. “Where has the time gone?”

Clarke rounded the shopping cart to interlace their hands, running her thumb of Lexa’s knuckles as they glanced in admiration at their son, unbeknownst to him. Aden was too busy chatting with Anya about the different colored folders and all of the cool pencil cases to notice his mothers having a moment. 

“We did good, huh?” Clarke offered, bumping her hip with Lexa’s. 

The brunette nodded before collecting herself and freeing Anya from her seat while Clarke assisted Aden in climbing out of the cart. The two children then began darting across the aisle, collecting supplies and hustling back to their mothers, holding each item up for approval before dropping them into the basket. 

\---

“I’m going to take Monkey to the grocery section to pick out some stuff for lunch. Can you and Anya pick up laundry detergent and meet us?”

“Of course.” 

After completing her wife’s requested task, Lexa and Anya wheeled over to the produce aisles.

“Marco!” Anya practically screamed. “Marco! Marco! Marco!” She continued as they weaved in and out of the lanes in search of the other half of their family.

Finally, an answering “Polo!” resounded from the snack aisle. 

She rounded the corner to find Clarke with her arms full of Snack Pack chocolate pudding, a bag of frosted animal crackers, and an obscene amount of poptarts. 

“Love,” Lexa snorted, “What are you doing?”

“Aden wanted snacks to go with his lunch.”

She looked down to find their son cradling a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter and a jar of jelly wedged under each arms.

“You don’t need that many.” Lexa laughed, taking a single carton of pudding and placing it in the cart before returning the rest of the stack in Clarke’s arms back on the shelves. 

“But Mommy said-”

“Ahh, ahh.” Lexa shook her head. “Just pudding, okay?” Aden had never particularly had much of a sweet tooth. His behavior was uncharacteristic of him, but she figured it was just first-day-of-school nerves. 

“But I wasn’t-”

“Aden.” Lexa pressed once more before the youngster shut his mouth. “What’s gotten into you?”

Clarke gently ruffled their son’s hair with a smile. “It’s okay, Little Man. How about you, An, and Mama go pick out a nice book bag to carry all of your new school supplies? I’ll finish the rest of our grocery shopping.” 

\---

Twenty minutes later, found Lexa with Anya’s hand in one fist and Aden’s hand clasped in the other. The prospective student proudly marched at her side, sporting his new accessory around the store on the way the checkout.

“I missed you.” Lexa beamed, spotting a familiar head of blonde.

“It hasn’t even been an hour.” Clarke swatted playfully at her arm before peck her cheek again.

“I miss you every second I’m not with you.”

Lexa’s favorite laughter resounded in response, ringing pleasantly in her ear. “You are so…” 

Lexa raised her brow in challenge before Clarke’s lips broke into a matching smile. 

“Do we have everything for Adey’s big day?”

Clarke hummed, beginning to unload the cart onto the conveyor. Just as they were about to wrap, Lexa grasped the final item, jaw falling slack in surprise. 

“Aden,” she addressed in her firmest tone, “How did you even… Did you think you could get away with slipping this back into the cart? I don’t know where this rebellion came from you’re about to start school and you can’t-”

“Mama! It wasn’t me! I promise!” Her son’s eyes widened in alarm as they began to brim with tears. 

“Lex, babe.” A smooth hand rubbed up and down her bicep. “I got them. It’s  _ that  _ time. I needed my sugar fix.” 

“Oh my god!” Lexa threw her hands in the air. “I totally forgot. I’m sorry, Monkey. I was wrong. Will you forgive me?”

“And as for you,” she turned to her wife with a chuckle, “you have the most atrocious appetite. But are you okay? Do you want me to get you any ibuprofen or-”

“It’s fine.” Clarke laughed. “Just hand me the pudding, Pudding!” 

Lexa scanned the last item, placing a chast kiss on her wife’s lips as she slipped the groceries into the plastic bag.

\---

 

They had agreed to divide duties in sending the kids off. Each morning, Clarke would place a kiss to Aden’s and Lexa’s cheeks before scooting out the door with Anya on her hip. 

Things went smoothly, save for the first day when Lexa called into the office at the last minute to take off for the entire day, simply because she wanted to be free case anything went wrong and Aden needed to be taken home. Clarke had chuckled as Lexa wrung her hands around the strap of their son’s lunch bag with anticipation. The shaggy-haired kindergartener, already eager to sit with Tris on the bus, bounced on his heels as the yellow vehicle rounded the corner.

“Mama, Mama! Let’s go!” 

“Alright, bud. Hold on a sec.” The two parents chased the sprinting student out the door, catching him just as the children at the bus stop began to file into a line. 

At the display, Lexa stopped in her tracks, heart bubbling with that familiar feeling that she could no longer tamper down.

Clarke’s hand instantly slipped into hers. “Aww, babe. Don’t cry.”

Their ever-perceptive son perked up at the sound, spinning on his heels. “Mama!” His eyes widened. “Why are you crying? Did I do something wrong? I don’t…” Aden’s bottom lip trembled. “I’m sorry. I won’t go to school. I”m sorry, Mama! Please don’t cry.”

“Oh, Adey.” Lexa couldn’t help but laugh as more tears began to stream down her face. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just going to miss you is all.” 

Aden gave her shirt a tug and she bent to level her gaze with their son.

“It’s okay, Mama. I’ll be home soon.” His tiny hands rose to cup her face, patting her cheeks in the same manner she had done so many times before. 

After a prolonged hug, the mothers stood at the bus stop as the vehicle carrying their little treasure drove off. With one hand on Clarke’s waist and the other in the air, the two blew kisses until yellow was out of view. Lexa returned to the house with Clarke teasing affectionately that she was in full-blown  _ Lextra  _ mood that morning before parting ways for the day.

\---

Things were going smoothly. Aden picked up on the kindergarten curriculum with ease and was praised by his teacher as being a great help around the classroom - assisting his classmates with tying their shoes and hanging their coats.

So when their little munchkin came home a few weeks later with a disciplinary slip pinned to his coat and a defiant look in his eye, his mothers were shocked. 

“Aden! What is this?” Lexa watched as Clarke swiped the notice off their son’s chest, holding it up to her nose as she skimmed the small sheet of paper.

“What does it say, Love?” 

Clarke’s expression morphed from one of anger to surprise and then… the blonde erupted into laughter.

The brunette’s brows raised. “Clarke?” 

Clarke gasped for air, waving for Lexa to see for herself.

_ Name: Aden Griffin-Woods _ _   
_ _ Reason for Disciplinary Action: Assignment was to write a three paragraphs about his “role model.” Aden wrote about his mothers, but concluded with “My Mama is great and my Mommy is great. Sharlit Vidovic is an ignerint git.” _ _   
_ __ Parent/Guardian Signature: _________________________________________

She reread the slip again and again before finally understanding.

“Adey, who’s Charlotte?”

“She’s a girl in my class.”

Clarke couldn’t help but snort. “Ya know, bud, I think we gathered as much.”

“Why did you call Charlotte an ignorant git in your essay?” Lexa asked.

“We expect better from you, Monkey.” 

“But-”

Lexa knelt at his side. “You can’t go around calling people names. It’s not nice.”

“But she isn’t nice!” Aden stomped his foot.

“Aden!” Clarke reprimanded.

Their son’s lip began to tremble. “She said you were weird.”

Lexa placed her hands on his shoulders with a soothing hum. “We are weird.” 

“Speak for yourself.” Clarke chuckled. 

“There’s nothing wrong with being weird,” Lexa continued, “Being weird makes life more interesting.”

“No!” Their son pouted with frustration. “She said you were weird because you were married. And two married moms is weird.”

The brunette blinked. Oh.  _ Oh. _

“Well, Adey. Thank you for defending us. But there are other ways of dealing with homophobia.”

“Homophobia?”

“People who are still trying to figure out what it means to love.”

“Oh.” Aden frowned. “That’s sad.”

Lexa nodded. “We can only try our best to teach those people how beautiful love can be, no matter what shape it comes in. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Alright, Bud. Go head on upstairs and get started on your homework. Mama and I will sign this so you can bring it back to your teacher. But we don’t want to see another one like this again, alright?”

“Okay, Mommy.”

“That’s my boy.” Lexa gave his hair a ruffle.

Once the sound of feet across the hardwood had faded the two women broke into another fit of laughter.

“How did he even learn that?” Clarke wiped at the tears in the corner of her eye. “Ignorant git? Really?”

Lexa felt her cheeks burning.

“Oh my god, Lexa!”

\---

Two years later, when Anya’s first day of school rolled around, Clarke would has wished she could say they were more prepared. But when their baby girl stepped foot on that yellow school bus, boarding right behind her older brother, she felt that familiar tug in her chest.

And when Anya came home with a detention slip of her own for punching a little boy who had made a derogatory slur about the couple, Clarke took the pink sheet of paper and hung it on the fridge right next to Aden’s essay. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! It's been forever. This was just sitting in my drafts for months. Lots of things have happened since. One of the biggest, is that I published a book. You may recognize it. You may not. Either way, if you want to get a copy of it, you can check it out here: http://a.co/8GW6US7

**Author's Note:**

> Stay in touch!  
> Amazon Author: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07BB6DFXN  
> Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17449889.Jessica_Yeh  
> Facebook: facebook.com/JessicaYehWrites/


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